Laying the Foundation for Your Advisory Board | Origin: CM143
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Building and Leading Effective CTE Advisory Boards --> Laying the Foundation for Your Advisory Board
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
The advisory board is an important component in the program as it includes members from the community who possess expertise in their field. The creation of board is not just about complying to regulation but more about creating a robust environment in the college by absorbing the best practice from its members. The creation of an active academic-practice partnership that is collaborative, knowledge sharing, respectful and trustworthy will strengthen nursing practice.
As a leader of a baccalaureate nursing program, when laying a foundation for an effective advisory board, it should begin with a clear purpose and strategic planning. The Advisory Board as a dynamic group that bridges academic and practice for our program must be provided with broad perspective on the institutional goals and program outcomes. The Advisory Board must be provided with ideas regarding the program curriculum and relevance to the industry, student preparedness, and program responsiveness to the workforce demand. Provide the advisory board with clear schedule of meetings, create agendas that encourage dialogue, and establish metrics for success. Then, involve the Advisory Board in activities such as virtual retreat where the Advisory Board members can get to know the program and the leaders in the program as well as the faculty members. This training has deepened my appreciation for advisory board as collaborative hubs that elevate our program through their active engagement.
When I first started to create my advisory board, it was presented to me as a box to check. It's nice to know that I can utilize them and have them create a to do list that will meet the industry standards instead of me guessing.
Engagement - Engagement - Engagement! The more the advisory board members feel involved in the process, the more beneficial the board will be to the CTE program which will result in programming that prepares students for the world of work!
I plan to engage advisory board members by actively seeking their industry insight, involving them in program improvement discussions, and inviting their feedback to help keep the program relevant and impactful beyond basic compliance.
An advisory board should actually advise and not just show up for the formal meetings. Often times, the board members are only aware of developments during the actual meeting. The board to be consistently up-to-date, so they have time to give feedback and share expertise.
From what we have been doing so far, I have taken away that a strong advisory board is more than a compliance requirement, it's a key partner in connecting classroom learning to real-world careers. I plan to apply this by engaging board members to ensure our curriculum aligns with industry needs, create work-based learning opportunities, generate community-focuses projects, and help students earn marketable certifications. I see their expertise as essential for continuous program improvement and for showing students the value and relevance of what they're learning.
I've learned that is important to truly utilize the knowledge and skills of an advisory board. Nobody wants to just fill a seat, that doesn't help anyone and would be really boring. I plan to fully engage with the board members and to put their suggestions to use when applicable.
This has helped me create a clear visualization of what my ideal advisory board would look like, and what kind of individuals would best assist my program. The addition of a workforce development representative to our advisory board would be a great asset in ensuring our students are field ready. This has also made me realize the importance of appreciation for our board members.
It is important to provide opportunity for advisory members to be active particpants in the advisory process. It is also important to clearly uinderstand and define the role of the advisory board.
I truly believe that an advisory board should not be seen as a formal requirement, but as a real opportunity to strengthen our career and technical education programs. Actively involving employers, listening to their input, and showing how their ideas lead to meaningful changes is key to building relevant and market-aligned training. Genuine engagement leads to real transformation!
