ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING
TREND IMPLICATIONS
2006-07
ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING
SUMMARY TREND STATEMENTS
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
1. Open sourcing of computer software will lead to increasing levels of shared
programming and on-going improvements.
Implications for the community:
• More formats available or coming to provide training.
• More ongoing training for all levels of the workforce.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May change technology programs and course content.
• More partnering and internships with businesses.
• Creates a change in mindset to “what is mine is yours”.
• Could accelerate new products which may result in more sharing between
business and education and among education entities.
• May result in different educational formats.
• May lower costs to education to offer/provide education in technology areas.
• May increase costs with specialized technology.
• Hard to predict technology, so it is hard to keep current and stay prepared to teach
the latest technology or provide college infrastructure with the latest technology.
2. Computer search engines will shift from retrospective (information that is
presently available) to prospective (information that is not presently available)
search and will impact our future online experience.
Implications for the community:
• Give direction to business for example products needed, skills needed.
• Leads to profiling.
• Questions about the accuracy of information.
Implications for the CTCs:
• More training and research in artificial intelligence.
• Colleges need to be current and customize programs and courses.
• Fuzzy logic implications- how do we approach this? May require more
sophisticated skills in “how to find” information.
• May require stronger analytical and critical thinking skills.
• May change the way we teach research.
• May involve high levels of math skills in technical programs.
3. The rapid development and demand for wireless, multi-tasked, compact,
personal life-style communication devices, providing connectivity services
24 X 7 X 365 world-wide, will continue to accelerate academic, economic and
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technological challenges as well as opportunities, for educating our workforce in
a highly competitive global marketplace.
Implications for the community:
• Need to integrate technology into all aspects of life.
• Taking away privacy.
• Productivity may change up or down.
• Many more choices.
• Ability to interact socially may change.
• Remote operation.
Implications for the CTCs:
• We need to change the way we deliver education.
• Less personal contact and face-to-face interaction with students, therefore we will
need to change the way we communicate.
• It will be a challenge for education to sell education if we don’t make changes.
• Professional development opportunities and challenges for faculty requiring
faculty development.
• Some faculty may leave higher education because of the need for change.
• CTCs may attract faculty who are drawn to the changes.
• May see a cost savings in instruction and student services because education
won’t be restricted to buildings.
• May create more partnerships among educational entities (CTCs, 4year colleges,
and universities) like increased dual enrollment programs.
• Increase student portal systems.
• Need to immediately consider how to handle security/privacy issues.
• Causes CTCs to be international entities.
4. Amidst the ever-changing and rapid advancements in technology, the ability of
institutions to pay will remain a critical and constant challenge.
Implications for the community:
• More demand for training cost and funding.
• Need more distance learning.
• Decentralization of training.
• Cost more shared among institutions, businesses and industry and individuals.
• Businesses do more of their own specialized training.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Will require increased creative partnering among CTCs, 4yr colleges, universities
and businesses. Need to leverage resources.
• May increase specialization and “niche” areas at CTCs.
• Need to explore new and different cost models for CTCs.
• Need to consider creative budgetary measures.
• Need to sync “just-in-time” technology with “just-in-time” education.
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Need to be able to shift resources quickly.
Should CTCs be outsourcing?
5. Organizations will be increasingly challenged to adopt and adapt to
technological advances in three primary areas: development/training demand;
information technology roles and hiring; and in the general field of information
technology.
Implications for the community:
• Possible loss of employment if skills don’t keep up with technology.
• Need for short-term courses for businesses.
• Increased marketing and recruitment of women.
• More people will work at home.
• Combined disciplines and programs.
• Offer flexible career paths.
• With more navigation possibilities in education, help with choices.
• Less loyalty to the organization and less committed to employees.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Education needs to market “new” IT jobs and target marketing to specific
populations.
• Education will need to integrate technology throughout programs and be
interdisciplinary with practical application to industry and specific occupations.
• Need staffing to support 24 X 7 X 365 expectations.
6. Demands for high-speed and broadband use of the Internet will be ever
increasing.
Implications for the community:
• Introduce technology to earlier age groups.
• Address issues of accessibility.
• More accessibility to a broader range of learners.
• Shift in pedagogy.
• May need less text books.
• Change from group to function oriented.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will need to train technicians to do this type of work.
• May create more enhanced programs.
• May minimize cost of text books.
• Instructors will have the ability to customize material in teaching.
• Enhanced access to educational offerings.
• May see budget challenges to maintain IT capacity.
• Need for global connections and competitiveness.
• Increase demand for broadband training.
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Need funding for infrastructure at CTCs so that we can stay ahead of the curve
and not be left behind.
7. Integrating technology, especially radio frequency identification (RFID), into
business organizations will largely determine their prosperity and their ability to
survive in a competitive international marketplace.
Implications for the community:
• Learn new technology.
• Less interpersonal interaction.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Training in logistics and transportation will need to change.
• This opens up new program and curriculum opportunities.
• Training and education may find uses for RFID and other equipment.
• Security for goods, individuals, data uses and collections may be impacted.
• How far can we be before we are “out-of-the business” in the technology area?
8. The fields of robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology (with nanotechnology
superseding biotechnology) are in their infancy and will continue to impact those
producing, using and affected by these rapidly evolving technologies.
Implications for the community:
• Colleges will need to know the skills and how they will impact the skills of
workers.
• Healthcare workers will need additional training machines.
• Critical thinking skills will become increasingly important.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increase need for more math, science, and engineering.
• Increase demands on training for technicians in those areas.
• There will be new skill sets in the workplace that we don’t even know about yet.
• Sometimes the new technology occupations may not be attractive to students so
we need to be clear about CTCs’ role in education and training in emerging
technology areas.
• Need to strengthen partnerships with 4 year colleges and universities.
• Increasingly merge the relationship between transfer and professional and
technical programs—look at full skill sets and focus on career paths and holistic
skills needed.
9. Protecting information from “hacker” attacks in a culture of open access will
continue to be a challenge for business, government and schools across the
nation and around the world.
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Implications for the community:
• Increased security risks become everyone’s responsibilities.
• Increased security systems need to be developed.
• Associated costs of security will increase.
• Ethics into the curriculum.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to teach ethics throughout the curriculum.
• Employee and student data will be very vulnerable so CTCs will need to create
strong security systems.
• Need to identify and teach CTC staff, faculty, and administration skills to deal
with security risks –risk management issues.
10. Technology is the impetus for on-going institutional change with respect to the
delivery of educational services, driven by the respective needs of students,
business, industry and the community.
Implications for the community:
• Lack of technical skills may limit access to positions.
• Training and technical skills may increase the number and types of positions.
• Less centralized location.
• Instructors need professional development.
• More on-line and TV instruction.
• Less face-to-face contact.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Already covered by the community or other trend implication responses.)
• Challenge to address a highly diversified level of student expertise.
• Potential for changes in instruction to accommodate technical and diverse student
populations.
ECONOMIC TRENDS
1. The gap between the wealthy and those at the middle and bottom levels of wealth
will continue growing nationally and in Washington State.
Implications for the community:
• Need for more services for people at the bottom paid by those at the top.
• CTC needs to provide training at the lower end.
• Increase demand for entry level jobs with career ladder.
• Need to reach people in K-8.
• Need to make affordable housing. Land values are increasing dramatically.
• Business and education are countercyclical.
• Fixed income will result in lower tax base.
• Potential for increase in class conflict.
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Middle class may be less able to maintain their level of consumption.
Travel costs to work will increase as people cannot afford to live near their jobs.
Additional donations for education, etc., will come from wealthy persons (e.g.,
Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett).
Less diversity in donations will result in less diversity in donor recipients based
on political interests and issues.
With respect to housing affordability: “Drive until you can afford the mortgage
payment.”
There will be an increased requirement for rapid transit.
Fewer people paying for their own education – greater reliance on outside
assistance.
The talent pool will be harder to find.
There will be a reduction in business opportunity and profit as well as state
economic growth.
Business may need to provide its own training.
Increase in part-time students.
Increase in part-time workers; older people in workforce.
People may have two jobs.
Fewer low income people will have degrees.
May lead to more in-and-out migrations in certain areas.
Increasing impact on social services.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May see external migration of foreign-born into Washington.
• Resources available to CTCs will follow this inequity and impact enrollment with
an increase in ABE/ESL.
• Fewer students may go through the education system due to increased costsespecially those who need education most.
• Increased pressure for public education to cut cost and do more with less.
• CTC students may take more time to complete programs.
• Traditional educational model may become obsolete – for example, the flat tuition
policy may not serve needs of students.
• Entry level positions may be more sophisticated- requiring more skills.
• Opportunity to target older workers who may have funds to pay.
• Potential that CTCs will continue to be stretched which may cause us to end up
focused on only those who can pay and not on those with greatest educational
needs.
• CTCs may find themselves responding to very prescriptive populations and needs
due to the need to rely on foundation money or other directed funding sources—
outside funding sources that begin to dictate our mission.
2. Present and future employment growth in Washington State will remain
concentrated in the service sectors including healthcare, business and
professional services, and high-tech.
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Implications for the community:
• Need to provide training in the state to support those industries.
• Need for computer and business literacy is essential.
• Need to focus on non-traditional, multicultural student.
• Focus on career ladders.
• Develop skill sets rather than specific occupational training.
• Must predict and respond to cycles in the economy.
• Expand training for service sector employment.
• Concentration on service areas comes at the expense of other areas.
• Sound post-secondary education is critical for good jobs and wages.
• Increased need for affordable education.
• General standard of living will decrease.
• Increased need for education in the sectors listed above.
• Colleges may not have capacity.
• Service sectors vulnerable to R and D in manufacturing and changes in the
population.
• More potential entrepreneurial opportunities.
NOTE: High tech is too general and needs to be more specifically defined.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May impact urban and rural areas differently.
• Will need to select and keep faculty in areas of future growth, especially in rural
areas.
• We may see trained people be exported out of Washington.
• The system will have to reassess process and methods to fund training programs.
• Increase cost associated with those sectors listed in the trend.
• Increased need for collaboration and partnerships.
• May need to create curriculum with richer, more in-depth employee preparation in
soft skills like critical thinking, etc.
• Need to help people articulate their transferable skills.
• Need to continue to expand career pathways linked to education pathways –
multiple entry/re-entry/ and exit points.
• Continue to define “service and business” industries.
• Increased value in lifelong learning and incumbent worker training.
• There may be a greater turnover of workers due to a lack of career progression
opportunities in a single company; therefore, CTCs will need to help people “retool.”
3. Many construction trade occupations, agricultural jobs, and some
manufacturing-related positions (i.e., luxury boat building, food processing,
winery operations, pulp/paper/chemicals, and diversified aerospace) will require
increased personnel for projected labor shortages.
Implications for the community:
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Wages which will increase and labor shortages will drive more needs for
partnerships.
These types of jobs will increase the demand for support jobs.
It is unknown who will fill the labor shortages.
It could be a non-native population which would increase the need for English
training in/at the workplace.
Managerial ESL needs will need to be addressed.
Volatility inherent in these trades needs to be taken into account with respect to
hiring needs and the volatility of market demands. Volatility = the cyclical nature
of the business environment and population; e.g., Baby Boomers.
Jobs are cyclical, seasonal: need for just-in-time training.
Increasing gap between industry needs and response time of education.
Degeneration of state infrastructure.
Higher number of people seeing employment in construction.
Not jobs for the elderly, market to the youth.
Middle age career change to construction project management.
Emphases need for life-long learning.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same as implications in #2).
• Educate students about career fields.
• Need to continually update information the image of some high wage programs
that are viewed as unfavorable to parents and students.
• Need to create portable credentials.
• Need broader exposure and recruitment for trades.
• May begin to retrain or train foreign workers.
• Number of people enrolled in CTCs may not be high enough to sustain programs
even if they support high demand occupations.
• CTCs may struggle to support high cost programs that are in demand.
• Specifically, we need to help students understand the increasingly complex world
of their industry/job. Help students understand the holistic nature of their job.
• Need for increased ESL instruction.
4. The Internet and new and emerging wireless technologies will have a major
effect on Washington State’s economic infrastructure in manufacturing, service
delivery and consumption because expected response time is shorter, operations
may become more efficient, and communications are virtually instantaneous.
Implications for the community:
• More workers may telecommute.
• Rural communities less dependent on place-based infrastructure—more able to
compete globally.
• Distinction between urban and rural may blur.
• Increased broadband capacity.
• Increase in the vulnerability of the IT infrastructure (security).
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Increased demand for power needs.
More “virtual” jobs; i.e., work can be anywhere.
Telecommuting.
Lessening of infrastructure; (e.g., roads, office buildings, etc.)
Emergent businesses who specialize in “information moving”.
Fewer business parks that are “people intensive”.
Increasing gap between industry needs and response time of education.
Training will move to distance learning.
Continued stratification of haves and have nots and high tech access/telecom
infrastructure.
Redundant systems required.
New training programs related to advancing technology.
Greater access to training via technology.
In/out migration based upon access.
More telecommuting in a global economy.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Still need employees in social services and related fields working with people-not just employees who are technology experts.
• Technology will impact “helping” professions.
• Education will need to respond to training gaps in career progression.
• Need investment in technology – infrastructure and equipment.
• Global (general) need for Information Technology literacy.
• May need to change or modify policies so that CTCs can respond to the needs of
business and industry.
• Need to figure out how to speed up our response time to industry.
5. In the future, there will be less of a national competitive economy and more of a
global competitive economy composed of regional economies like those of
Spokane, Puget Sound, and Southwestern Washington State.
Implications for the community:
• Increased regional coordination/planning for economic development in order to
compete with international entities.
• Greater cooperation with local jurisdictions will replace counter-productive local
competition.
• Greater need for “international focus” in education and training.
• Transportation and freight mobility will be a huge issue in order for business and
industry to remain competitive.
• Increase in foreign students.
• Business and industry must still move physical freight.
• Certain industries/companies will relocate, creating a threat to the economy.
• Push towards collaboration and education.
• Increased multiple entry in education and training programs; higher cost of
education.
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Education will need to address adult learners who work full-time.
May need to change funding model for education.
Stimulate cultural diversity awareness and need for training.
Physical transportation of good and services multimodal rail.
Greater competition of rail service and greater disparity in rail service.
More telecommuting in global economy.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Educated people who are “our product” or products of our educational system will
become more exportable.
• Increased global teaming.
• Increased demand for meta-cognition of the global marketplace.
• Need to have a global/international mindset as we think about education. Need to
think of ourselves as international providers of education and part of an
international region.
• Need to find strategies to overcome CTC employee resistance to necessary
change.
• Need to reassess service district boundaries.
6. With Washington State’s economy projected to stay strong, the shift toward
service occupations and high-tech manufacturing with high skill requirements is
expected to continue.
Implications for the community:
• Need to reinvest in manufacturing industries.
• Basic technology skills are a “basic skill,” not an add-on.
• Need career lattices to facilitate movement within different jobs; i.e., transferable
skills for new careers. Credit for prior learning/skills/experience/expertise.
• Career information needed at earlier ages.
• People change jobs more frequently.
• Access to training/social services and mentoring to support job change (Worker
Retraining).
• Change in understanding the meaning of career is no longer cradle to grave.
• Need life-long learning.
• Need to change image of some career options.
Implications for the CTCs:
• The colleges (faculty, staff, and administrators) will be challenged by increasing
diversity.
• CTCs will find it difficult to hire instructors to educate and train diverse students
in growing occupations (i.e. faculty will need not only their content expertise but
skills in counseling and “how to teach”).
• Need continual faculty development.
• Need credit for prior learning which may have implications for accreditation
standards and limit creativity.
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7. Washington State’s unemployment rate will continue to be an average of 1%
higher than the national average due to: (1) aerospace employment lagging
compared to the national business cycle, (2) seasonal nature of state’s
agricultural sector, and (3) high rural unemployment rates, including
traditionally timber-dependent areas.
Implications for the community:
• Need to attract more diverse industries to the state.
• Need “just in time” training for people changing jobs.
• Increased demand to draw business and industry into the community college
system.
• Increased development of regional, non-traditional jobs to fill gaps in seasonal
work.
• Need to look at other employment options for workers.
• Better match of workers’ personalities with jobs.
• More career counselors.
• Communities will reinvent themselves (identity) for success.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will have an increased role in economic development.
• Increased demand for a more flexible worker.
• Increased demand for training, development, and supplemental jobs and careers.
• Need better understanding of our sectors and their cycles.
• Need to ask—how much can CTCs impact unemployment for those who choose
to stay in locations limited to educational opportunities?
8. Washington State will continue leading the nation in new business creation,
while increasingly heavy venture capital investment in the state may help
mitigate the state’s historically high ranking in firm terminations.
Implications for the community:
• It is difficult to guess the future.
• Continued volatility in business.
• Increased demand for application of research to support new businesses until they
become viable.
• Workers will move from job to job increasingly in the future.
• More assistance for business start-ups.
• Flexible work schedules and sites.
• Improve environment of business-friendly legislation.
• Smaller business the less likely unionization will occur.
• Increase demand on public labor exchange.
• Increase demand of cooperative healthcare.
• Unions are opening new areas.
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Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will need to be more flexible to businesses as the business world changes.
• CTCs will need to be more entrepreneurial.
• CTCs will need to offer more small business programs and services.
• CTCs will have to work as a state-system and not as separate colleges.
• Need to educate students on how businesses work—“big picture”.
• Potential for CTCs to recruit venture capital.
• Discover ways to support new business and venture capital projects.
• Increased demand for CTCs to understand venture capital projects in order to
inform themselves about potential opportunities.
9. The importance of information is driving the flattening of organizational
structures where subject matter expertise is increasingly essential and this
flattening is expected to increase in the future.
Implications for the community:
• Essential for business and industry to retain their subject matter expertise.
• Increased training of subject matter experts.
• Demands on individual worker skills are increasing.
• Increase demand on knowledge.
• Education will change—how to assess information, how to learn how to learn.
• As technology ties increase, breaks from work decline - no balance of home and
work.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Colleges will face an increase in costs for technical infrastructure, hardware and
staffing.
• CTCs need to monitor the growth and decline in managerial level jobs.
• There will be changing skills sets for those at the top and bottom of organizations
as a result of flattening –people will need to be flexible with broad skill sets.
• Need to increase articulation with 4 year colleges and universities.
• Support and facilitate succession planning and customized training.
10. Housing density will increase in urban centers, but not necessarily provide
affordable homes.
Implications for the community:
• Increase commuters as housing is not affordable in urban areas.
• Less time for family and community.
• Flextime and telecommuting changes the business day.
• People will have more travel time to and from work; transportation may be more
of a barrier for some students/workers.
• More cars on the freeway because people can’t afford to live near their work.
• Exodus from urban areas.
• Increase demand for higher density housing.
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Increase in alternative transportation modes.
Stress inducing situations will require release of stress.
Generation of families housed together.
Residential construction industry will change to accommodate demand.
More creative ways for home ownership will need to be found.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increase in services that include health, police, etc. in urban areas.
• May harm student by displacement.
• Potential for “slum” development and increase in rural living areas that are
cheaper may impact CTCs’ ability to help student gain access to education.
• Need to provide alternative education delivery methods and strategies.
• May increase student enrollment at CTCs.
• Can we keep up with community needs as people may view CTCs as community
centers?
11. American society continues to be unable to respond to the challenge of providing
adequate healthcare for its citizens.
Implications for the community:
• Labor shortages will increase compensation and healthcare coverage.
• Lack of healthcare coverage will negatively impact employee and healthcare
providers and increase taxes.
• Increases in healthcare reduce the amount of expendable income for other things,
(e.g., tuition, recreation, etc.)
• Healthcare must be addressed.
• Healthcare costs negatively impact industry and business, hence their global
competitiveness.
• Without healthcare, life expectancy and health of elderly will decline.
• Political action groups will become more vocal.
• People will seek alternative healthcare.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs may be asked to provide or increase healthcare programs.
• CTCs may be asked by employees to increase healthcare coverage.
• May get more students who are unhealthy in the future and may limit student
success.
• May negatively impact CTCs enrollments.
• This trend may cause competition for state funding.
Emerging Issue:
Alternative energy industries will prosper if Washington State supports effective
Economic Development incentives.
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POLITICAL TRENDS
1. Projected demographic changes in the period 2005-2009 will require higher
education to compete for government resources requested for corrections,
medical assistance, long-term care and K-12 education.
Implications for the community:
• Counties and communities become centers of excellence in specific areas and get
funding for their specialty.
• Increased demand to look outside of public funds for grants and corporate
contributions.
• Increased demand for more grant writers and changes in staffing in colleges.
• There will be a change in who will be incarcerated because non-violent criminals
will not be incarcerated.
• More lobbyists.
• Stratification of agencies or unify and collaborate.
• Identify lower cost ways of providing education.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May need to offer or broker healthcare.
• May need to do more with less.
• Need to increase partnerships and collaborations with other agencies.
• CTCs will have to document measurable outcomes to compete with agencies
listed in this trend.
• Need more foundation support and grants.
2. Increasing public awareness and urgency around environmental conservation
and stewardship will have an impact on government regulation, business
decisions and consumer choices, especially choices in energy, fuel and organic
foods.
Implications for the community:
• Green/clean industries will increase and grow.
• More people will want to work for socially responsible companies.
• Green products will be in demand.
• More diversity options and choices; (e.g., bio-diesel, wind farms.)
• Expansion of recycling and disposal industry.
• Push of alternative energy will provide business opportunities.
• Consumers are asking for alternative energy/green.
• Increase demand for domestically grown food.
• Stratification between haves and have nots.
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Implications for the CTCs:
• Look at training in energy and other conservation areas/efforts.
• As energy costs increase, CTCs will have to review their offerings, purchasing,
and delivery of education.
• Build green buildings in our system.
• Need to pay attention to the cost of going green.
• Curriculum infuses conservation and sustainability issues in the context of the
discipline/topic.
• Increase partnerships with green companies to understand education and training
needs for their future workforce.
3. Continued union disaffiliation will change organized labor’s large political
influence in Washington State which will also weaken what has historically been
a strong partner for community colleges across the state.
Implications for the community:
• Decrease in organized labor may improve educational opportunities and quality of
communication between education and industry.
• Workers may be more at risk.
• Premise of unions not adapting is false, therefore invalid statement.
• Unions will increase adaptability to address issues and remain important player.
• Increase development of non-traditional partnerships.
• Union membership will be increased in service areas to work against wage
disparities.
• Increased use of apprentice training to compensate for limited training available
from community colleges; (e.g., ESL plus skills).
• Decrease in union membership and loss of jobs.
• State may need to increase support to colleges rather than apprenticeships.
• With shrinking of union jobs, businesses may have to pay more to attract new
workers.
• Union structure is reinventing itself.
• Unions will continue to partner.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs, especially in rural areas, may have trouble getting union representatives on
their advisory committees.
• Union affiliated apprenticeship programs may decline in the future.
• May lower barriers for employment.
• May be an increase in non-union apprenticeships.
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4. Healthcare provision and funding will continue to be a major focus of policy
makers.
Implications for the community:
• Companies will cut off healthcare coverage for employees so government will
need to pick up coverage.
• Companies may look at best practices from other states and companies to provide
health coverage.
• Benefits other than healthcare may be offered to employees (i.e. childcare).
• More emphasis on healthy lifestyle and preventive medicine.
• Will need more funding.
• Fewer dollars for other areas.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will have to look at healthcare in light of increased costs
• CTC employees will pay more for less health coverage, see less CTC funding
available for other things.
• Employees will need to work longer to keep benefits.
• Help workers navigate healthcare system and educate workers on health issues.
• Push for the ability to fund natural, holistic medicine.
• Changes may result in offering “cafeteria” style benefits packages.
• May see a greater use in CTCs wellness centers.
5. Increasing social and economic barriers will restrict access to and from
Washington State for all transportation, goods, services and citizens.
Implications for the community:
• Increase need for security for transportation industry.
• Continued conflict between the state and federal government as it relates to
international trade and economic development.
• Energy costs will impact trade and transportation of goods.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Students cannot get to us as easily which may affect programs and services.
• The costs associated with distance may affect CTC enrollments.
• Distance may harm communications and collaborations between and among
institutions.
• May have fewer international students.
• May have to add homeland security issues, etc. to curriculum.
• Federal regulations limit the employment opportunities for undocumented
workers.
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SOCIAL, VALUES, AND LIFESTYLES TRENDS
1. Internet overuse (e.g., excessive use of chat rooms, web surfing, instant
messaging, gaming, gambling, etc.) is expected to increase over the next 3-5
years, affecting one's ability to successfully manage one's life.
Implications for the community:
• Will impact physical health in children, lack of sleep, attention deficit, physical
health.
• Create need for more multimedia education.
• More abbreviated communication.
• Need to teach mastery of internet skills.
• Some restriction on the use of the internet.
• Could affect the economy.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs can promote and offer learning opportunities and assignments through the
web.
• Need to provide a critical assessment of relying on the use of internet-based
source information for learning and decision-making by students.
• With the increase in technology, CTCs will be faced with increased competition
for students because of ease of internet educational access.
• Internet raises ethical and privacy issues.
• Need to create learning experiences with more stimulation and excitement using
student’s technical interests to our benefit rather than fighting it (i.e. using text
messaging interests as a teaching tool).
• Professional development is needed for faculty to respond.
• Classroom management may be more difficult.
• Writing skills of students may decline.
• Need to balance personal interaction with technology.
• Need to help people use the tools – literacy in use.
• Internet use may impact student ethics through increased plagiarism, web surfing
during class, lack of attention to homework.
• Increased security demands.
2. From 1999-2004, roughly 35% of recently completing high school students in
Washington State did not continue into higher education and this percentage is
expected to remain stable over the next 3-5 years.
Implications for the community:
• Less skilled workforce.
• Could increase the number of imported workers.
• Could increase number of businesses leaving.
• Could increase number of those needing remedial training and life-long learning.
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Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will see an increase in the need for basic skills and certificate level
workforce training.
• Need for effective student counseling and advising.
• Need for increased student financial assistance and wrap-around services.
• Need to change and improve the public’s perception of CTCs so that graduating
high school students will come to us for post-secondary education and training.
• Need to improve relationships and partnerships with other workforce intermediary
partners such as Employment Security, DSHS, and Community Based
Organizations, etc. who assist H.S. graduates.
• CTCs will need to work with K-12 to improve career development programs for
these students.
• Need to increase transition programs for students.
• Marketing and publication awareness for CTCs.
• CTCs may be dealing with WASL failing students and an expectation that CTCs
make it all okay without funding support.
• May be serving high school students who are very bright but think that high
school is not valuable so they drop out.
• Students may be more likely to return to CTCs rather than universities when they
are older because of easy access.
• CTCs need to develop training programs tailored for this audience.
3. Consumers will continue over the next 3-5 years to expect more for less when
purchasing goods and services (e.g., minimal defects, large variety, timely
delivery/availability, and prompt follow-up and support services).
Implications for the community:
• May lead to more social division (distinction) between haves and have nots.
• Businesses will have to get more innovative to compete.
• Focus on quality and variety.
• Change in consumer shopping patterns.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Consumers have a changing expectation from educational providers.
• There will be a resistance to change and response to consumer demand by some
CTC personnel.
• CTCs need to expect that students will “shop around” for best buy/quality.
• Need to begin to say “no” to some opportunities and/or clearly articulate the cost
of offering new services and programs.
• Will need to restructure programs and tuition and pricing formulas.
• Provide modularized – multiple entry/re-entry/and exit point programs.
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4. The number and restrictive nature of the Ballot Initiatives being submitted in
Washington State will remain high over the next 3-5 years, suggesting that low
level of trust for Washington State government will continue.
Implications for the community:
• Current Governors initiative will be to change the perception of government using
G-MAP.
• Increase push to reduce number of initiatives.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will have to provide documentation of their outcomes.
• CTCs are part of the community mistrust in government.
• CTCs may receive less funding as accountability of funds for education may
follow votes. This may result in a decline in CTC infrastructure and services –
access for students.
• May see increased regulations regarding CTCs.
• Need to do a better job of civics education.
• Need to be proactive and prepare for citizen reactions to initiatives.
• Think about broad constituents beyond big business.
• Need to devote more resources to educate the public about CTCs.
5. The number of children who at one point in their childhood will live in a single
parent family household (currently = 19%) will continue to increase over the
next 3-5 years.
Implications for the community:
• Latch-key kids will result in more drop-outs.
• More dependence on social services.
• Increase needs for role models and mentoring.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increased need for wrap-around services.
• There may be a decreased emphasis in teaching and learning because more
resources are directed elsewhere.
• This population may be more mobile; therefore, CTCs will need to provide more
flexible offerings – multiple entry/re-entry/exit points.
• Need flexible service delivery and increased financial aid.
• Tuition is negatively impacting single parents.
• Need to continue our relationships with WorkFirst agency partners so that this
program does not fall away from the CTCs.
• More demand for CTC child development programs.
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6. In the next 3-5 years, the number of individuals working during their retirement
years will increase.
Implications for the community:
• Greater demand for more personalized service; customer contact by person.
• Increased use of technology to enhance service.
• Looking for work sharing and seasonal jobs.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increased opportunities for mentoring and teaching using seasoned workers –
capture the talents and abilities of retired workers.
• Increased opportunities for new or different programs –short-term training.
• Increased access to hire adjunct faculty members.
• Increase in discrete projects as opposed to long work cycles.
• CTCs may be providing more retraining and career transition programs.
• Retired individuals may limit employment opportunities of new job seekers.
7. Over the next 3-5 years, the number of children raised in the foster care system,
emerging from that system without independent living skills and the ability to
cope with the demands presented by organizations like higher-education
institutions is expected to increase.
Implications for the community:
• More children whose mothers were on drugs.
• More TANF entries.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increased need for wrap-around services.
• Increased likelihood that some of these students may not be successful (low
completion rates) in CTCs. (This also applies to trend #5 in this area).
• Provide training and education for foster parents.
• Opportunity to increase partnerships with community-based organizations.
• Need to be clear about CTCs’ mission—how much social services do/should we
do?
• Need to train faculty, staff, and administrators about under-represented
populations—beyond foster care children.
• Need increased outreach to capture these types of students.
8. Generation Y (born between 1981 and 1995) members' learning preferences
include emphasizing teamwork, experiential activities, structure, and use of
technology. The number of Gen Y students will increase over the next 3-5 years.
Implications for the community:
• Need for industry, education, and government to recognize the entitlement
generation.
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Need more field trips, internships, international experiences.
Educational institutions will have to respond to learning styles of Gen.Y flexibility.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same implications as community).
• Need to be innovative, nimble, exciting and then actually do it rather than just talk
about it.
• Create learning environments that allow students with advanced skills to teach
faculty.
9. Over the next 3-5 years, more people will become mini-entrepreneurs by starting
small and micro businesses, becoming freelancers, starting web-businesses,
blogs, and other types of small, entrepreneurial enterprises.
Implications for the community:
• Increased need for creativity and critical thinking.
• Business incubators, business advising, and infrastructure to support small
businesses.
• Increased demand for entrepreneurial training.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to reassess traditional notion of career development services given this
population’s interests and needs.
• Government needs to change how it “counts” successful employment (selfemployed workers).
• CTCs must stay current with industry needs and trends to prepare for new
opportunities in entrepreneurship.
10. Washington State leads the U.S. in terms of the percentage of people who say
they have no religion (although many believe in a god) and this trend is expected
to continue over the next 3-5 years.
Implications for the community:
• Changes in the work week with Sunday as a workday.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May affect educational offerings on weekends.
• Examine regional differences in religion and beliefs as they may affect CTCs.
• This trend may also apply to CTC personnel.
• CTCs may have to take on a more social services role.
• Raises issues about how to respond to faith based education and funding.
11. Over the next 3-5 years, participation in new forms of voluntary associations
online will increase rapidly, i.e., e-communities.
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Implications for the community:
• Information moves rapidly with individuals with similar interests.
• Reduces demand on transportation.
• Restructure of social organization and decline in hospitality industry.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Student clubs and associations may move to online formats and involve more and
diverse individuals.
• Physical boundaries become less of a barrier for participation.
• Need to use this as a marketing possibility to populations not necessarily touched
by traditional marketing methods.
• Need to be tied to e-communities.
12. Crime rates overall are declining and will continue to decline over the next 3-5
years.
Implications for the community:
• Money goes from corrections to education.
• Attracts businesses and retirees.
• More competition for money.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs will have to address safety and security issues.
13. Incarceration rates will continue to rise over the next 3-5 years in Washington
State.
Implications for the community:
None
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to address process of professional correctional officer training.
• Educational opportunities need to expand for inmates.
• Need to partner better with Dept. of Corrections and educate the community about
the value of education for offenders (reduction in recidivism rates associated with
education).
• Revisit incentives for offenders and ex-offenders to participate in education.
14. Due to changes in policy, drug crimes are increasingly being handled in drug
court where the corrective-behavior plan involves intervention from the
healthcare system rather than the criminal justice system. This is expected to
increase over the next 3-5 years.
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Implications for the community:
• Fewer people will go to jail.
• Healthcare will get more funding to support those who are not incarcerated.
• Shifting funds from corrections to healthcare.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May need to provide intervention programs and classes.
• Admission to programs will change because of drug convictions.
• CTCs may need to increase their partnerships with other social service agencies.
• There will need to be an increase in professional development for faculty.
• Increased need for chemical dependency/diversion workers.
• Increased impact on welfare system.
15. Obesity is pervasive in society and the level of obesity will increase over the next
3-5 years.
Implications for the community:
• Greater demand for healthcare.
• Shorter life expectancy if no healthcare.
• Increase in drugs and surgical intervention.
• Increase in R & D
• Acceptance of “real” people will grow.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to assess furniture and accommodations in classrooms.
• This may impact worker compensations claims and necessary workplace/learning
accommodations.
• Pressure to offer healthier food and beverages on campuses.
• Increase in healthcare costs for CTCs.
• Increase in programs for health and wellness.
• Need to create learning schedules that allow for health and fitness.
• Need increased healthcare workers.
16. Beginning in 2000, three unique generations in the workplace and community
and technical college system are present. Each generation has very unique
values, expectations, wants, needs, desires, etc. and these may clash in the
workplace and classroom. This trend will continue over the next 3-5 years.
Implications for the community:
• Must address the disconnect between workers’ expectations and needs and
employers’ expectations and needs.
• Must address generational differences.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same implications as listed by community.)
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Awareness of generational difference.
Need for training on how to work with different generations.
This may create an opportunity for faculty members who are highly skilled
faculty facilitators to address and enhance learning. However, if the faculty
member is not a skilled facilitator it may create more conflict.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
1. Between 2005 and 2010, the number of poor people in Washington State is
projected to exponentially increase to more than 20% of the population, or
1,329,963 people.
Implications for the community:
• Increased need to build safety nets before people reach poverty.
• Increased need for more counseling, career, labor market information, building of
self esteem.
• Public funds will decrease for education.
• Huge stress on social services.
• Crime increases.
• More emphasis on vocational training.
• Emphasis on alternative education.
• Need to support high skilled, low wage workers.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to provide education and training for high wage and high demand jobs and
increase short-term and certificate programs for multiple entry/exit/re-entry
points.
• Continue to increase support services for low-income students – more wraparound services.
• Need access to more creative funding with less restrictions (programs like
Opportunity Grants).
• May need to increase offerings of remedial education.
• May decrease the number of students who enroll in CTCs.
• Need to increase partnerships with other agencies.
• More people for fewer resources will further drain and limit CTCs offerings and
responsiveness.
• Poor people will have to decide between education and other needs like housing,
etc.
• Increase outreach efforts to educate poor people about the value of education.
2. Between 2005 and 2030, the demand for healthcare and related services,
especially geriatrics, will increase and the costs for these services will continue to
rise dramatically.
Implications for the community:
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Financial demand for healthcare will impact education.
Increased need for services for special needs children.
Need for more healthcare workers.
Individuals need to take more responsibility for their own health.
Implications for the CTCs:
• More training and education for healthcare workers across all aspects of
healthcare. This will include training people for the business aspects of
healthcare.
• May see people have to choose between paying for healthcare or education.
• May provide opportunity to create geriatric educational programs.
• Will need flexible wage/benefits for workers, perhaps differentiating benefits
between older and younger workers.
• Perhaps CTCs need to consider providing healthcare for students.
• Technology may provide alternative delivery methods for educating people in
these fields.
• Need to strengthen courses/programs in response to trend including health and
wellness, stress management, and adult daycare etc.
• Colleges will pay more for employee health benefits.
• May need to provide or increase employee wellness programs and incentives.
• May consider providing instruction in senior centers, retirement villages etc.
• College with limited health care program enrollment or resources to have broad
span of health care programs will need to partner with other CTCs.
3. Population in the state of Washington will continue to rise 100,000 a year
between 2005 and 2010 when the population is projected to reach 6,639,000.
From 2010-2030 it is expected to slow to a 1.2 percent growth or approximately
75,000 per year.
Implications for the community:
• Need workforce skill programs for the immigrant population.
• More skills and services for the aging.
• More workforce programs where people live.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same as community comments above.)
• More flexible programs and flexible offering places.
• Need for constant upgrade and retraining.
• High school graduates will need to see the advantage of further education while
employer demand may be attracting them away from education.
4. Between 2005 and 2030, the Washington State population, especially those under
25 years of age, will become increasingly more diverse and the largest increases
in ethnic groups will be Hispanics (242,863 to 487,703), those of two or more
races (100,769 to 240,281), and Asian/Pacific Islanders (129,988 to 171,598).
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Implications for the community:
• Possible great differences of opinion between management and labor due to age
and cultural differences.
• Need for training and cultural diversity including interpersonal skills, conflict
resolution, and soft skills.
• Isolation increases as age and cultural groups form their own communities.
• Need for strong leadership which is able to manage diverse populations.
• Need for strong role models/mentors.
• Increased need for improved communication; (e.g., Spanish and understanding of
cultural diversity).
• Increased need for people to learn different languages.
• Increased demand to move different cultures into the mainstream of business,
education, and society.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increase ABE and ESL with an emphasis on career ladders/building blocks with
dual enrollment in professional and technical programs – I-BEST.
• Need to increase outreach to parents about the value of education.
• More faculty and staff training on multiculturalism.
• Will need mentors that reflect the diverse populations CTCs are/will be serving.
• Adapt recruitment and hiring practices that attract staff, faculty, and
administration that ethnically reflect the diverse populations in the community,
including bilingual faculty and staff.
• Create marketing and educational materials in different languages.
• Create new retention strategies that serve diverse populations – one strategy
doesn’t serve all.
• Increase entrepreneurial training for non-traditional populations.
• Increase the value on people with multilingual skills.
• Need for more robust and continuous assessment of programs with students,
graduates, business/industry/labor and stakeholders to meet need of employers
and job seekers/students.
• May significantly increase the costs of serving people with disabilities.
5. Between 2000 and 2010, the growth in the number of households in the state of
Washington will grow proportionally to the increase in the general population,
and will not evidence significant increases or decreases.
Implications for the community:
None.
Implications for the CTCs:
(Already covered in other areas of this trend.)
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EDUCATIONAL COMPETITION TRENDS
1. Four year institutions will continue to be a key competitor with community and
technical colleges.
Implications for the community:
• Each institution should focus on its own niche.
• Accessibility and affordability.
• Colleges need to move away from a business model as they operate and organize.
• Colleges need to follow a business model in the way they operate and organize.
• Competition doesn’t work well in and for education.
Implications for the CTCs:
• More 2+2+2 articulations that are easier for students –student friendly.
• Parents, counselors, and potential students need early knowledge of the value of
professional and technical CTC education – We need to send a message about the
kind of salaries, benefits, and opportunities that come with 2year degrees and
certificates. We need to tell our story better.
• CTCs need to market statistics regarding student performance/success in
comparison to 4 year colleges and universities.
2. Community and technical colleges are becoming more vulnerable to competition
from for-profit institutions.
Implications for the community:
• For-profits are more about the money rather than training people properly.
• Need for partnerships between business and CTCs.
• Corporate colleges will pressure CTCs to “step up to the plate” to meet industry
needs.
• Increased demand for more open-entry/open-exit; need to overhaul delivery of
education.
• CTCs must ask questions about what they are doing and not doing.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to learn from non-profit educational institutions that are successful. How do
they market? How do they provide financial aid? How do they deliver fast-track
education?
• CTCs need to look at higher level skill sets needed by employers.
• Need more convenient, flexible time and delivery of education.
• Need to find creative ways to market CTCs to potential students and parents.
3. Corporations do not recognize community and technical colleges as a preferred
source for training.
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Implications for the community:
• Perception of workforce development as social service needs to change.
• Community colleges will develop marketing strategies to emphasize their
advantages in terms of specialized training and opportunities available to private
industry and corporate work.
• Community colleges will broaden the definition of customer to include private
industry/corporate world.
• Businesses will use other sources or train using internal sources.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to make strong relationships with business—help business and industry by
providing needs assessments of their issues.
• CTCs need to increase the marketing of their services to business and industry.
• CTCs need the ability to hire specialized trainers and consultants for business and
industry contracts. In addition, there needs to be an opportunity for faculty to
learn from these specialists.
• Invest in corporate training and contract training.
• Encourage and support industry-based professional development.
• Need more funding for industry skill panels.
• Need more efforts and funding for recruitment – marketing and outreach.
• CTCs need to learn the language of business.
• Need to look at funding structures between credit and non-credit offerings.
• Need to respond quickly without losing quality.
4. Online training and education continues to expand rapidly.
Implications for the community:
• E-learning/on-line learning replaces more on campus enrollments.
• The quality of place (willingness to move for training and employment) becomes
more important—CTCs need to respond by developing additional partnerships.
• It is all about convenience! Need continuous enrollment, open/exit enrollment,
flexible times, etc.
• More are able to access training.
• Need increased professional development for faculty.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs must respond to flexible on-line and a full scope of distance education
delivery methods/strategies.
• Increase professional development of faculty to use multiple modes of education
and increase their flexibility which in turn will increase access for students.
• CTCs will need to figure out ways to balance blended learning opportunities that
bridge generational needs, are flexible, responsive, and allow for face-to-face
interaction.
• Boundaries no long exist.
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May cause workload issues for faculty (monitoring, larger cohorts, more grading
efforts).
Increased need for adjunct faculty.
Less use of classroom space, so perhaps less expanse associated with facilities.
5. Colleges are spending more resources and time on “traditional” transitional and
developmental education rather than integrated strategies that build adult basic
skills and advance workforce skills which aid in the achievement of economic
development goals.
Implications for the community:
• Needs to be another venue to provide this instruction.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Increase integrated models – dual enrollment of basic skills and professional and
technical education with applied learning context.
• Increase career pathways.
• More partnerships and donations.
• Revamp funding model to be transitional to needs.
• Need to redefine the definition of “success.”
• Need additional funding so students can complete education beyond ABE/ESL.
6. Military students with their rich tuition dollars will be a target of opportunity
for postsecondary training and education providers, including private career
schools.
Implications for the community:
• Need to integrate skills learned in the military and give credit for these skills.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to provide flexible ways to respond to military populations so that service
people can take their learning and courses with them while on duty.
• Need to give prior learning credit.
• Need to create portability within the state and across state boundaries.
• Need to market to military and their dependents.
• Need to respond to service people exiting the military.
• Need wrap-around services.
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EDUCATION TRENDS
1. Employers’ demand for highly educated employees, with certifications and
college degrees, will continue to increase through 2012.
Implications for the community:
• More short-term training and onsite training.
• Workforce programs need to develop certifications for specific skill sets.
• More collaboration between business and education to develop these skill sets.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Demand for programs will increase.
• It essential to stay connected to what employers need in their workforce.
• Perhaps K-12 counselors and parents may understand the value of short-term
programs/certificates and 2 year degrees as opposed to their focus on 4 year
degrees.
• May decrease value of 4 year degrees.
• Will need “just in time” education with multiple entry/exit/re-entry points (career
pathways).
• Will need to increase the delivery of education on-site (to agencies, job sites etc.).
• May increase the need for dual enrollment programs like Tech Prep and Running
Start.
• We will need to increase partnerships to afford full access to K-20.
• Will need to increase the number of applied bachelor’s degrees at CTCs.
• Increase the delivery of customized training.
• Will need to increase partnerships with employers.
• Will need to expand number of programs,
• Essential to keep training and education current and relevant.
2. A widening gap will continue to exist between low literacy and non-native
speaking workers entering our system and the level of skills required by our
employers.
Implications for the community:
• Employers need to look at work schedules and the needs of their employees.
• Hurts us economically and socially.
• More work needs to be done to address these barriers including ethics and bilingual speakers.
Implications for the CTCs:
• More availability for ABE/ESL education.
• Employers will need training on how to work with limited English speaking and
low literacy employees.
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Policies may need to change to help undocumented populations get access to
education.
More programs like integrated basic skills and I-BEST that allow literacy
development at the same time and in context with professional and technical
training to build employment skills.
More internships and cooperative learning experiences for students.
Will need more time and money.
3. As more students enter community and technical colleges with a technologyenriched background, the need for and expectation of technology-enhanced
learning experiences will increase.
Implications for the community:
• Next generation will have a more global perspective.
• More socially and technologically competent students.
• E-learning and virtual schools.
• Students need to know how to use resources.
• K-12 needs to be included in system-wide decisions.
Implications for the CTCs:
• This may change requirements for degrees and ways of measuring and giving
credit for existing skills (i.e. prior learning credit and waiving program
requirements).
• CTCs will need to change the culture and mindset of “what meets program and
course requirements.”
• More e-learning and distance learning etc. which may also impact faculty
contracts, faculty workloads and professional development for faculty.
• May need more money to purchase technology.
• Need to update teaching strategies to incorporate new generation interests and
needs.
• Need to increase the use of simulations where appropriate.
• May create an expectation that CTCs will provide not just training and education,
but access to the latest technology like I-Pods, laptop computers etc.
4. There is a continuing disparity among K-12 student racial/ethnic groups in
academic achievement levels and the disparity will continue into the near future.
Implications for the community:
• Possible under or unemployment for racial and ethnic groups.
• More prisons will be needed.
• More social services will be needed.
• Increased ethnic class tensions.
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Implications for the CTCs:
• May need to do outreach to various ethnic groups to show the value of education
($ earned) and opportunities that involve short-term career and educational
pathway programs.
• CTCs need to do outreach very early, before high school.
• Need to increase support services to increase retention for student of color.
• Need to work and provide special effort to connect student of color with
employment through increased partnerships with business.
• Need more dual credit programs.
• Expand non-traditional efforts that support all diversity.
• Increase family literacy programs.
• Build stronger partnerships with parents.
• Expand ABE/ESL classes – including integrated basic skills with professional and
technical programs.
• Need more wrap around services.
5. There is an increased emphasis on high expectations and accountability in K-12
public education.
Implications for the community:
• Focus on skills and quality rather than seat time or degrees. Time vs.
competencies.
• Customer of education is the economy.
• Increased emphasis in science and technology at early grade levels.
• More precise definition of the return-on-investment for education.
• K-12 will better connect with the “outside environment” in order to help the
students’ choices for their futures.
• Increased mentoring if K-12 students with industry and business individuals.
• Education will increasingly address issues of retention, particularly for those
students from underserved communities.
• Increase in “cross-pollination” of curricula.
• Breakdown of departmental barriers.
• Increased focus on new integrated skills sets.
• Puts excessive responsibility on schools.
• Teach to the test.
• Less vocational ed. Programs in high school.
• Workforce programs need to teach basic skills.
• Increases gap between high and low in education.
• More emphasis on self-employment.
• Needs to be an emphasis on different learning styles to achieve success.
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Implications for the CTCs:
• Increased need to prove the worth of CTCs.
• K-12 accountability is moving into higher education- clearly more public need for
educational accountability.
• CTCs may see more K-12 students who drop-out or are not successful.
• WASL will continue to be a topic of debate between CTCs and K-12.
• This may provide an opportunity to create private training and tutoring programs
to help prepare students for the WASL.
6. Government and philanthropic interests are increasing their attention to and
support for pre-K/early learning.
Implications for the community:
• Workforce system needs to work closely with these entities.
• Businesses need to be a major part in this effort.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Perhaps less financial support for CTCs.
• May include early learning programs at CTCs and an increase in the need for ECE
programs.
• Provide state funded childcare programs.
7. Student education costs are increasing faster than inflation.
Implications for the community:
• Students will need more financial aid options and resources.
• Decrease in federal aid will increase local and state demand for financial aid.
• Business and education are countercyclical.
• Students will need more financial aid or assistance to attend college.
• More students will be working and attending school. Need to have financial aid
for part-time students. Need time management.
• Fewer people will be able to afford education while the need for it increases.
• Fewer skilled people while the demand increases.
• Teacher salaries will increase in order to aid recruitment of good instructors.
• Businesses need to provide scholarships.
• Traditional 4 years to get a degree may change.
• More students starting and stopping.
• More working students.
• Harder for poor to access education.
• Need creative education settings, businesses, and labs.
Implications for the CTCs:
• May see more people come to CTCs rather than 4year colleges and universities.
• May see less CTC students because of increased tuition costs.
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May see increased efforts and initiatives that force people to move through
college sooner.
May cause increase course enrollments and increased course caps.
May increase the need to do more with less.
Will continue to see an increase in students starting education, stopping out,
working etc. so CTCs must create certifications with skill sets that prepare them
for employment.
Need fast-track education.
Need more mobility and transferability for students as they move between and
among higher education institutions. May see less money for program
development and purchase or upgrade of equipment for teaching and learning.
8. There is an increasing gap between the demand for math, science and
engineering employees and the ability of the Washington State’s educational
system to produce math, science and engineering graduates.
Implications for the community:
• Increased demand for better/more role models for mentoring in math/science/tech
fields.
• Increased demand for students to understand the correlation between technical
skills/training and actual jobs.
• Need to change the way we introduce math, science and education to K-12
students.
• Introduce math, science etc to all not just those at the top of the class.
• Change the way to teach math, science education.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Already addressed in the Technology implications).
• Companies will recruit outside of the state and nation.
• Companies will provide their own training and education to meet their demands.
9. There is a continuing disparity among postsecondary racial and ethnic groups in
measures of student outcomes, such as certificates and degrees awarded, which
is not expected to improve in the near future.
Implications for the community:
• Education will increasingly address issues of retention, particularly for those
students from underserved communities.
• Same implications as trend #4.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same responses in #4 of this section).
• Need professional development/mentoring for faculty on strategies to respond to
diverse populations.
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10. There is increasing attention to accountability in post-secondary education.
Implications for the community:
• Need to teach more to what business needs.
• More emphasis on internships.
• Needs to be flexible in accountability.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same responses as in #5 of this section).
• Some CTCs may lose money.
• CTCs will need to increasingly build programs on industry-based skill standards
that lead to certification.
• CTCs will need to fully engage in program review and assessment and adjust
programs according to demand.
• Need increase money for CTCs to do research and tracking.
• More pressure for CTCs to demonstrate outcomes to legislature.
• More pressure from business and industry to demonstrate outcomes.
LABOR FORCE TRENDS
1. There will continue to be an across-the-board supply-demand gap for workers
who have attained at least one year of college but less than bachelor’s degree.
Implications for the community:
• Increase demand for enrollment slots at CTCs.
• Demand for alternative methods and times.
• CTCs need to offer more customized training.
• Marketing of CTCs will increase to industry.
• Need for lifelong learning will increase.
• Need to keep young students engaged through high school.
• Continue outreach of vocational education and career opportunities.
Implications for the CTCs:
• To alleviate imbalance, CTCs can and should continue to provide increasing postsecondary education opportunities.
• Need to engage K-12 students in occupational learning and exploration that
requires post-secondary education and training.
• Demand for alternative locations for educational offerings – beyond campuses –
not just credit programs.
• Can CTCs provide (find and use) necessary people with expertise for customized
training?
• Need to restructure CTC policies to allow more flexibility to respond to supplydemand gap.
• Must get people to the “tipping point” (1 year of college with a credential)
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2. There is a supply-demand mismatch for workers at the long preparation level
(Bachelor’s or higher) as described below:
• Shortage in Engineering, Software, Architecture, Computer Science,
Medical, Human Services, and Protective Services.
• Balanced in Research, Scientists, and Technical.
• Surplus in Educators, Business and Management, Editors, Writers,
Performers, Administrative, Clerical, Legal, Agriculture, Construction
(management), Production, Transportation, Sales and Service.
Implications for the community:
• Must address perception that everyone needs a 4 year degree and “professions”.
• Provide career guidance with labor market information and projections to all
people.
• U.S. could lose technological edge in global economy.
Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs need to assist K-12 in career development process so that students can get
better information about CTC programs.
• Need to provide career pathways that link K-12 and CTCs like Tech Prep and
Running Start.
• Perhaps CTCs can fill need for 4 year graduates in some of these areas.
3. While some work will be “off-shored” to other countries for cost savings, other
work that is sensitive to customer satisfaction and requires other necessary
factors, will remain in or return to the U.S.
Implications for the community:
• Business and industry needs partnership with CTCs to maintain edge.
• More educated workers from outside the U.S. and other countries will take jobs.
• Influx to rural areas for cost savings.
• Technology infrastructure is a continuing need.
• Focus on quality and customer service.
• Increase need for multilingual/culturally aware workers inside U.S and
internationally.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to increase multicultural education and training.
• Need to continue to stay alert to emerging occupation projections and industry
projections.
4. Between 2002-2012 it is expected that 25% of new jobs will require a bachelor’s
degree and 38% of new jobs will require short-term preparation, some college,
or an associate’s degree.
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Implications for the community:
• Need industry sponsored career pathways to promote education for technicians.
• Need more school to work pathways.
• Keep kids in school.
• Change the educational system using Navigation 101.
• Life-long learning.
• Services needed to reconnect drop-outs.
• Increased importing of educated workers.
• Demand for a work readiness credential.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to work with K-12 system (administration, counselors, and teachers) to give
accurate information about CTCs and professional and technical education
opportunities that produce graduates who can fill high wage, high demand
occupations.
5. Occupational groups expecting greatest employment growth for workers with 13 years of college in the next five years are:
• Healthcare practitioners and support; 8%.
• Personal service workers and managers; 8%.
• Computer engineers, programmers, and support; 13%.
Implications for the community:
• Population needs to know where the growth in occupations are.
• Maybe a mismatch between educational institutions and community needs.
• Lifelong/distance learning should be connected to the labor market.
• Educational institutions will focus more on continuing education and worker
retraining.
• Competency based rather than seat time.
• Institutions recognize need for transferable skills and give credit for knowledge
from multiple sources.
• Remedial training and personal training programs.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to address potential mismatch between “community” and occupational
growth areas.
• How do CTCs manage enrollment and recruitment to match industry and student
needs and interests?
6. Through 2030 the Washington labor force will have greater participation by
older workers, people of color, women, and people with disabilities.
Implications for the community:
• View people as resources and utilize older workers, people of color, women, etc.
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Implications for the CTCs:
• CTCs need to work more closely with agencies who serve these groups.
• CTCs need to target these groups as potential students.
• CTCs need to be more welcoming of these populations.
• CTCs can harness the talents of older populations in their own workforce.
• Opportunities for skill upgrade for incumbent workers.
7. The new workforce is requiring more education, different skill sets, and presents
new challenges.
Implications for the community:
• Need training opportunities for non-traditional students/workers with career paths.
• Education must be current and relevant.
• Must determine actual qualifications and skill for current and future jobs.
• More than skill are needed, e.g., “soft skills”, work ethic, attitude, taking
directions, etc.
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same implications as trend #6 in this area).
• Need to help CTC personnel and communities understand that developing soft
skills and holistic skills “takes a village”.
• Need to focus on assessment and demonstration of skills, not just teaching the
skill.
8. Some worker groups (e.g. people with disabilities, youth in their 20’s, African
American men) are not fully participating in the current labor force.
Implications for the community:
• Education and training in correctional institutions should create employment
opportunities to reduce recidivism.
• Need to address needs of learning disabled students.
• Education should be more readily accessible.
• Mentoring in various socio-economic groups.
• Greater demand from older workers for part-time or job sharing.
• Appreciate cultural differences, mentoring
Implications for the CTCs:
• (Same implications as trend #6 in this area).
• Need to make CTCs a personally exciting experience and attractive to all in
everything we do.
• CTCs need to be available for learners 24 X 7 X 365
9. During the period of 2000-2010, the state labor force will grow at a projected
rate of 1.5% reflecting a slower growth rate than in the past.
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Implications for the community:
None.
Implications for the CTCs:
• Need to plan more carefully in selecting and offering workforce development
programs that have a job for graduates.
• Worker Retraining funds may decrease.
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