Section 9-6-III - Enhancement of College Workforce Development CentersThe community college system recognizes the need to continually enhance and improve the availability and quality of training at the Workforce Development Centers. In FY2013 a series of enhancement actions as described below will be undertaken.
(a)Regional/Industry Specific Centers of Excellence While it is not plausible to convert all activities within an existing center to specific tasks and still serve all of a region's needs, it is plausible that certain components of the centers can be developed as industry and/or regionally specific Centers of Excellence. College workforce centers are encouraged to pursue the centers of excellence concept for business and industry under the auspices of Challenge Grant Funding.(b)Professional Development Programs The MCCB recognizes the need to aid the workforce centers in developing their staff and instructors in order to maintain the highest quality levels.i. In FY2013, the MCCB will fund a state-wide professional development program for the college workforce divisions, as developed and requested by the Workforce Center Directors Association. The association is encouraged to utilize community and junior college facilities and instructors and Mississippi universities for such activities.ii. In FY2013, the MCCB will sponsor quarterly Workforce Center Director meetings. These meetings will rotate across the state at the Workforce Development Centers and will facilitate the SWIB Leveraging Community and Junior Colleges committee's recommendation of sharing best practices.iii. In FY2013, the MCCB will provide assistance to the colleges in sending workforce training staff to statewide meetings such as the Governor's Workforce Development Conference and the Creating Futures Through Technology Conference.iv. MCCB will continue to provide individual technical assistance to all colleges on an as needed basis. In FY 2013 regional workshops will be held to provide additional technical assistance and training.(c)Instructional Quality Based on recommendations by the workforce center directors' instructional quality committee, FY2013 workforce projects will be required to maintain documentation on file that verifies the key components of a quality training course. Examples documents are provided in Appendix B.(d)Marketing The MCCB will continue to allow colleges to write projects for marketing of the workforce education centers. Development of marketing materials such as regionally-customized CD's, print materials and websites will be pursued as applicable at the state level as well. The MCCB logo must be included on all printed materials.