Career Pathways: Nuts and Bolts as the Sole Provider
Brenda Schofield, Director
Region 5 ESC Adult Education and Literacy
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About us…..
Region 5 ESC Adult Education and Literacy:
• Region 5 ESC has 30 years AEL experience in another Workforce
Development Area; we achieved 100% completion of all performance
measures each year that they have been measured.
• We are the new sole provider and fiscal agent for the Southeast
Texas Workforce Development Area.
• We are building a new program entirely from scratch.
• Our three counties consist of urban and rural areas.
• Public transportation is available in only one area of the three
counties.
• We absolutely love what we do!
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Our Goal: Establish Our Reputation with
Students, Communities, and Colleges
• Region 5 Education Service Center already
has an excellent reputation in this tricounty area.
• We must establish a good reputation and
working relationship with the Southeast
Texas Workforce Development Board and
Workforce Solutions offices.
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• We must establish a good reputation with former
and future AEL students so they will know that
they will receive the services and help that they
need. We receive lots of questions from potential
students about whether or not teachers will help
them in class, or whether or not they will have to
“work on their own” in class.
• We must establish a good reputation with the
community in general, community organizations,
community colleges, and other organizations and
entities in the community.
• We are achieving success in these areas so far,
and we will continue to build our program and
our reputation.
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Get the word out about your program: Issue press releases and
communications; utilize social media; speak to groups, individuals,
and partners.
Show enthusiasm for your program.
Tell about yourself and your program.
Talk about previous history and success in AEL.
Talk about future plans for the AEL and Career Pathways program.
Describe types of classes to be offered; Include locations of classes.
Remember to mention that classes are free.
Speak (or write) from the heart. Be real. Provide your own quotes. I
like to talk about how this isn’t just a job to us, and how we have
hearts for service to others.
Talk about what you can provide through community partnerships,
such as devices for visual and hearing-impaired individuals,
eyeglasses, childcare, etc.
Know the needs in your area and address them in your
communications.
Enlist the aid of your partners to get the word out about your
program.
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Hire highly qualified, enthusiastic staff with a heart for others; Don’t hire dull,
boring instructors. 
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Stress to applicants that the job requires flexibility and the ability to multi-task.
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Hire a College and Career Transitions Counselor or Specialist.
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Ask the community college VP of Workforce Development and your local
Workforce Solutions specialist to speak at your initial staff development and at all
new teacher trainings.
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Assign mentors to new staff; Hire two teachers for every class when possible.
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Let new staff shadow experienced staff before their first class, but after their
initial staff training.
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I give all staff my cell phone number, with instructions to call whenever they have
a question, particularly after-hours. This is especially helpful to new staff who may
be somewhat overwhelmed during the first few nights of registration, orientation,
and class.
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Meet and get to know the leaders in your area; many of them will hold a
seat on the Workforce Development Board, so be sure and attend the
meetings.
The Workforce Development Board members, executive staff, and other
Workforce Solutions staff need to know you personally, and you need to
know them.
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The Workforce Board and staff can provide a wealth of information,
services, and good advice.
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Stay up-to-date about things that are going on in your area by attending
the WDB meetings.
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I make sure that the Executive Director of the Southeast Texas Workforce
Solutions knows that I want her and the Workforce Solutions staff to be
happy with the programs that we are providing…and I sincerely mean it.
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Keep all partners up-to-date of changes that might occur;
share information on a timely basis.
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Communicate ahead of time, any changes that might affect a
partner’s schedules, facilities, or staff.
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Ensure that partners are aware of your class schedules,
contact information, etc.
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Share the good things that are happening in your program,
especially successes that occur as a result of classes that are
held within your partners’ facilities or as a result of your
partnership.
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The Texas Workforce Commission provides fiscal and
programmatic expertise; your program specialist will
provide a speedy response to your questions.
Local Workforce Solutions offices, postsecondary
education institutions, TCALL, TRAIN PD, local
education service centers, your peers, and your fiscal
agent can answer many questions, or they can guide
you in the right direction.
If you’re not sure about something or you just need
guidance……ASK. Chances are, you’ll find that other
programs have the same questions.
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Our First Steps:
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AEL director consulted with LIT staff during competitive grant
writing phase.
• Director spoke with LIT President after receiving grant award.
• President set up meeting in his office and called together key
staff; Attending the initial meeting were:
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President of Lamar Institute of Technology
President of Lamar State College-Port Arthur
Vice President of Workforce Development for LIT
Dean of Instruction for LIT
AEL Director
AEL College and Career Transition Counselor
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Provide free classes.
Provide cross-referral of students who will later transition
to higher education.
Provide Transition and Career Pathways classes in addition
to ABE, ASE, and ESL.
Attract more AEL students to the campus; create greater
awareness of college services.
Eliminate anxiety of the adults who enter higher education;
help them become comfortable in the college setting.
Referral source for students needing higher skill levels to
enter Developmental Education (President stated that they
lose many people in Developmental Education due to lack of
educational skills required for success).
AEL is a big draw for the LEP families of current college
students.
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Provide free classroom space, computers, and
Internet at four sites in three counties
Provide cross-referral of students
Coordination for Transition and Career Pathways
classes in addition to ABE, ASE, and ESL
Provide counseling for all needs
Provide guest speakers for classes
Provide GED testing centers at three of four
locations
Link our AEL information to their website
Collaborate to pursue additional grants
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The top interest and aptitude surveys that we found through coordination
with local colleges, ESCs, and school districts are Career Cruising, Kuder, and
O*Net.
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Also see http://www.texascaresonline.com/wowmenu.asp for Texas Cares
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Try to locate your Career Pathways classes on-site at the local community
college.
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Reserve college classroom space early; hopefully, as in our case, you will
have to ask for additional space as your program grows.
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World of Work: Self-Assessment; Skills Best Match; Exploring Work; Career
Clusters; Occupation Information.
Recruit existing students for your Career Pathways classes, and also
individuals from the community who are not enrolled in AEL. This requires
separate recruitment strategies.
Schedule your AEL and Career Pathways classes back-to-back for co-enrolled
students if possible, or at times that are most convenient to your students.
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Participate in campus and Workforce Solutions activities and events.
This is great for the students, and it is good for your higher
education and Workforce Solutions partners to see the AEL program
encouraging participation. Example: LIT held a Hispanic Heritage
Festival last Friday at the college. The college president and vice
presidents were delighted that the students participated in the
festival.
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Ask Workforce Solutions staff and your college Workforce
Development representative to speak to Career Pathways and AEL
classes.
Utilize business and industry leaders to speak to students about
specific occupation demands in the area, and the skills needed by
the local industries for those specific occupations.
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Schedule ongoing meetings with your higher education partners.
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We are forming three county coalitions to ensure coordination,
participation and input from all community partners.
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Reserved classrooms for classes after giving us
numerous options
Coordinated parking passes for AEL students:
She received permission for her office to
duplicate and issue the parking passes because
we had more students than the college originally
anticipated. This made our lives and her job
much easier!
Coordinated Internet connectivity by securing
passwords for staff and students
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Be flexible. Change what needs to be
changed. Do your best. Ask questions.
Most of all...focus on student success.
We are helping to change lives, families, and
futures. 
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