Serving a Tsunami of the Unemployed in a Shrinking Rubber Raft

1. Serving a Tsunami of the Unemployed in a Shrinking Rubber Raft Terri Manning Central Piedmont Community College Jeanie Moore Rowan Cabarrus Community College

2. What Impacts the Enrollment of All Higher Education Institutions • Growth in the state • Number of 18-19 year olds in the state • Education level of citizens • Budget that enables growth • Bonds that allow for increases in space • The economy – especially the community colleges

3. NC Projected Population Growth Population Growth in NC Number 18-19 Years Olds

4. Relationship Between UNC Undergraduate Enrollment and Number of 18-19 Year Olds in the State

5. Enrollment Issues for the Universities in a Down Economy • Growth beyond what was projected. • Those who had started degrees years ago but stopped out come back to complete. • Student who complete and can’t find jobs, return and take a few more courses. • The unemployed come to the university for retraining in hopes of finding a different job when the economy recovers. • Local high school grads stay local and live at home. • Students going to other universities away from home, return home and live with parents and take courses at the local university (transfers increase). • Students decide to go on for the masters or doctorate when they can’t get a job.

6. Internal Issues • Financial aid applications increase (30% at UNCC over Fall 08) • The number of students needing financial aid but having zero family contribution dramatically increases (UNCC <200 in Fall 08 to >1200 in Fall 09) • Number of appeals for various things increases (financial aid status, vouchers from WDB) – all requiring more staff.

7. Relationship Between Enrollment and State Funding for UNC Institutions UNC Total FTE State Average $$ per FTE Does NOT include reversions.

8. Best Predictor of Headcount Growth for CPCCThe MSA and CSA Unemployment Rates

9. NC Unemployment and NCCCS Curriculum Headcount ??? Source: State ESC and NCCCS Websites Does NOT include reversions.

10. Relationship between Funding and Enrollment

12. Unemployment in the Charlotte MSA 12 Month Change in Employment by Field

13. With Poor Economic Conditions, the Students are More Needy • Displaced workers are different than the more traditional community college students • A greater need for student services • Need for financial aid goes up • At CPCC • 2007-08 5,581 students - $12,562,977 in aid • 2008-09 6,691 students - $16,772,986 in aid • 2009 (fall only) 5,967 - $10,987,837 • Total FAFSAs for Fall 2009 = 38,024 • Number with zero family contribution (family cannot help them at all) rose from 2,891 in 2008 to 4,681 in 2009 (increase of 62%).

14. Students are More Needy • Need for remedial courses goes up: Fall 2009

15. Students Are More Needy Need for literacy programs increases

16. Impact of Low Education Levels • Industries with uneducated workers appear to be most impacted in a down economy. • Those with the least education are released first. Charlotte is slightly different with the financial industry problems. • A poor economy releases large numbers of individuals with much greater educational needs. • Add on top of that – being fired from a job you have held for 20-30 years. • Colleges and universities are serving large numbers of these unemployed individuals with less funding than the previous year – when we need additional staff.

17. Case in point…..Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and the Closing of Pillowtex

18. The world has flattened due to outsourcing, trade agreements and technology.

19. What is a “Flat World”? • One where technology and collaborative economies have created an entirely new playing field. • Increased competition and requirements for not only new skill sets but a much more self-reliant, creative and innovative mind set.

20. Flat World Indicators • Collaboration and competition for increasingly different kinds of work from diverse corners of the world • Connectivity into a single global network which has the possibility of ushering in an amazing era of prosperity and innovation • World shaped by individuals instead of corporations • Era driven by non-western, non-white countries such as China and India • Shift from manual labor to skilled labor moving overseas

21. Poster Child for a Flat World Pillowtex (Fieldcrest Cannon) Closed July 30, 20034,800 local jobs lost

22. Pillowtex Demographics • Average age 46 • 45.7% without high school credential • Multi-generational job losses within families • Limited transportation • Psychologically and physically immobile • Community social and economic structure dismantled

23. Barriers to Success • Reluctant or unable to confront reality and consider life options • Intimidated by idea of returning to the classroom and did not take initiative to seek training • Not eager to attend school • Technically challenged with little or no computer skills, rendering them ineffective in job search • Psychologically and physically immobile

24. Barriers to Success • Lack of job-seeking skills “savvy”. • Critical survival needs of clients superseded educational/training commitments. • Lack of computer skills and access to personal computers. • Were weak academically and required significant developmental opportunities in reading, math, English usage and technical skills. • Required a very supportive “up front” environment to help them transition to college students.

25. Student goal in attending RCCC • To obtain a GED 226 (38%) • To improve their reading, writing and math skills 184 (30.9%) • To update their job skills in order to obtain 230 (38.7%) a different job • To take a few courses and go back to work 157 (26.4%) • To receive training in an entirely new field 246 (41.3%) • To obtain an associate’s degree and return to work 210 (35.3%) • To complete a two-year degree and transfer to a 20 (3.4%) four-year college or university and earn a bachelor’s degree

26. Initial Lessons Learned • Difficult to make sound decisions regarding training due to absence of jobs • Many workers enrolled in courses simply to extend unemployment benefits • TRA did not support programs of study leading to self- employment even though local economy offered job opportunities (ex. Real Estate/Cosmetology) • Advising difficult as Trade legislation being re-written simultaneous with event

27. Initial Lessons Learned • Definition of employment (ESC) does not equal sustainable wages and benefits • Adapt attitude – save those you can • Displaced workers lacked access and familiarity with technology • Compressed periods of study such as summer term did not work well with this population • Mechanism needed for sharing confidential information among NEG partners

28. Initial Lessons Learned • Trade legislation restrictions regarding students enrolled in Basic Skills and ESL – 52 week limit • College had no marketing/orientation materials geared to the needs of this population • College faculty and staff were not trained on how to deal with the emotional stress of displaced workers • Wage expectations were unrealistic based on skills • Much greater care and support needed to be given to program of study selection.

29. Are these factors at work in your community?

30. In Our Community… • Outsourcing – Pillowtex, Freightliner, Hanesbrand, Performance Fibers, Carter Furniture, Philip Morris USA • Trade Agreements – Pillowtex (4800), Freightliner (2400), Hanesbrand (185), Philip Morris (1280) • Technology – Salisbury’s Fiber to the Home Project, North Carolina Research Campus, Electronic medical records, increased numbers of jobs requiring technology

31. Challenges of a Flat World • Changing roles and forms of government, innovation, business, role of women, war, education, religion, art, science, and research • Disruptive nature of change • Speed at which change is occurring • Lack of experience in dealing with this change • Resistance to change

32. Skills Needed • Collaboration • Continuous upgrading of skills • Ability to manage one’s own career • Creativity • Innovation

33. Skills Needed • Hard work ethic • Commitment to excellence • Ability to use technology • Commitment to responsible energy usage and conservation

34. To compete in the flat world, you need to make yourself either…

35. Untouchable • Someone whose job cannot be • outsourced • Need to be specialized • A specialized position is one that cannot be digitized or easily substituted. • - or -

36. An Anchor • Job requires you to be in a specific location • Welder • HVAC • Plumber • Nurse • Electrician

37. How Do Displaced Workers Become Untouchables or Anchors? • Understand one’s own interests and abilities • Commit to ongoing training and skill development • Develop technical skills • Continuously upgrade technical skills • Be flexible and mobile • Demonstrate strong written and oral communication skills • Work well in teams • Be self-directed • Be a self-starter • Effectively problem solve and integrate information • Confidently market one’s self

38. “The challenge for America, as well as the rest of the world, is to absorb these inevitable changes in a way that does not overwhelm people, but also does not leave them behind.” From an adaptation of “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman

39. If you find yourself in this position – serving displaced workers, what can your institution do to prepare for them?

40. The Center for Applied Research • We conducted the research/evaluation portion of the US DOL grant. • Conducted focus groups with former Pillowtex workers, faculty, staff and area service providers. • We conducted a survey. • We learned a lot about the needs of these types of students.

41. What do we do? • Establish an effective daily communication channel for all faculty and staff at the institution for critical information. • Create an effective intake form for displaced workers that is more extensive than a typical admissions form and contains more detailed information critical to student success. • Offer training to faculty and staff at the college on how to deal with the emotional distress felt by displaced workers. • Make sure all financial aid and funding issues are understood by college staff prior to seeing students. • Create materials about the college, its programs and services that are geared toward adult students with little or no higher education experience.

42. What do we do? • Offer workshops and additional resources for faculty on classroom strategies to work with displaced workers (students who have been disconnected from education for 25–40 years). • Work with community leaders to collect and refurbish old computers and give them to displaced workers for home use • Offer support groups to deal with the non-academic issues that impact student success. • Offer pre-college workshops for groups of displaced workers to help them transition to college. • Develop a good working relationship with agencies who serve this population.

43. What do we do? • Look at shared-hours agreements with other college for programs (degrees, certificates and diplomas) that cohorts want but are not offered at your institution. • Have a comprehensive plan for student schedules. • Hold a debriefing session for faculty and staff periodically to learn from one another.

44. Contact Information • Jeanie Moore • Rowan Cabarrus Community College • moorej@rowancabarrus.edu • Terri Manning • Central Piedmont Community College • terri.manning@cpcc.edu • Copy of the Presentation • http://www.cpcc.edu/planning • Click on “Studies and Reports”