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Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Christopher Nickell
Christopher Nickell

Graduate Placement Data

Our Career Services Department is a great resource for providing information on employers that currently hire our graduates and those who don't. On occasion, this department has been instrumental in providing key contacts for phone interviews or surveys. And, since we have developed a relationship with those employers who hire our graduates, we get good participation/involvement.
Christopher Nickell
Christopher Nickell

Gathering Competitive Data

In the area that I live in there are a few different training centers, many more than I thought that there was. It is refreshing to see all of the availability that is offered.
Christopher Nickell
Christopher Nickell

New Program Data

The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) administers the Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) examination. Schools have to meet NCBTMB requirements to become an assigned school. There are (54) assigned schools, in Florida. Assigned school contact information, name of business or organization, city, and details may be located online at http://.ncbtmb.org. LMT practitioners must re-certify every two years by completing 24 hours of continuing education and complete a minimum of 100 work hours in the field, effective Jan. 1, 2013. There are 31, 810 current LMTs and 47 Message Therapy Apprentices (MTA) listed on the Medical Quality Assurance… >>>

Christopher Nickell
Christopher Nickell

Using Planning Tools Effectively

We are a computer centric career school so we look for career options that fit our business model. Our school does a lot of Workforce Board funded training so it must be on the local Targeted Occupational List and we study the history of those listing to be sure they are likely to remain on the listing. We rely heavily on employer job listings posted to the most popular Online Job Sites and the local newspaper ads. We survey job listings in the Tampa Bay area within reasonable commuting distance for entry level employment as a career changer. The goals… >>>

Christopher Nickell
Christopher Nickell

Using Research Effectively

My institution has a specific position (mine) that is responsible for conducting all the preliminary research on new programs to assess need, identify competitors, determine programmatic accreditation/approval requirements, develop a budget, etc. I have discovered a lot of resources on my own; however, the biggest challenge remains getting accurate information on employment need/projections. BLS and state data are not always timely, and I often don't get enough of a response to phone calls or email requests/surveys to potential employers to be helpful. I would love to have more strategies to get employers involved and make it easier for them to… >>>

Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

Using Planning Tools Effectively

What kinds of planning tools are already used by your institution? How much of the existing planning tools will you use? What new planning tools will you bring to the project?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

Using Research Effectively

How prepared are you to conduct research to determine what new training programs to offer? What else do you feel you still need to know?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

Gathering Competitive Data

List all the training centers in your community. What discoveries have you made in terms of serious competition to your institution and ideas for new programs to offer?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

New Program Data

List all the new continuing education courses offered in your community or elsewhere. What discoveries have you made and what ideas do you have for new courses to offer?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

Using Available Data

What surveys does your institution have in place? How can you use the current data? What new surveys and other research techniques do you have to put in place to gather data to make informed decisions about program development?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

Graduate Placement Data

Who on staff has information about the companies that currently hire your graduates and companies that do not? How can you work together to gather missing company information?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

The Information Gathering Process

Module 1 starts the process of gathering information to make effective program decisions. What information do you already have? How will you gather the additional information?
Lisa Sharpe
Lisa Sharpe

The Advisory Board

An Advisory Board or committee is very important for program decision-making. Who will you have on your board and what is their affiliation with your institution?
Candis Kester
Candis Kester

Reaching out to new sites

What are some good forms of communication to use to reach out to sites that have not offered externships previously?
Jennie Ta
Jennie Ta

Potential Employers

It is essential to know that there will be jobs for potential graduates of any newly created programs. Should potential employers be part of an advisory board?
Austin Gagnon
Austin Gagnon

Sticking with an ideal marketing strategy

Once you establish an ideal marketing strategy then it is best to stay with it. The answer is false on the test but I feel you do stick with what works and keep looking for other markets but still sticking until outside forces affect the established strategy
Austin Gagnon
Austin Gagnon

Libraries are optional?

Libraries are optional when offering vocational programs. True We offer a vocational school and we have to have a library or our school will not pass its renewal. We even have to provide in writing the material that is located there.
Austin Gagnon
Austin Gagnon

another quiz question

Student services offerings are optional for most schools. True False Feedback Student services are as important as the program offerings. With the right student services your students are more likely to stay in school, graduate, and find employment. I know the question says most schools but what about the schools that are limited on funding or staff? Its very difficult to be able to provide unlimited help to those that have graduated with out unlimited resources.
Jeanne Jones
Jeanne Jones

Is there risk in going outside industry in board selection?

I recently was made aware of a board selection to a very large organization and the board member elect was from outside the industry, but brought a wealth of knowledge and general business experience. I believe this organization seized the opportunity to "do things differently" and introduce an external bias that may be able to challenge their thinking. What are your thoughts?
Christopher Nickell
Christopher Nickell

Before we start new programs...

It is wise to ensure the programs you are currently offering are running as efficiently as possible. Name a few reasons why you would want to ensure this.