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Meeting Delaware's Workforce Demands
Responding to employer needs is central to Delaware Tech’s mission
CONTRIBUTED BY DELAWARE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
RESPONDING TO THE DEMANDS of the state’s workforce is central to Delaware Tech’s mission, which is why employers often approach the College for help when they have a need for education and training in a particular area. Three of the most recent examples include the College’s new Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and diesel technology training through its Workforce Development and Community Education division.
“As Delaware’s only community college, we play a critical role in responding to the state’s labor market and community needs,” said Delaware Tech President Mark Brainard. “This means we not only help our state’s employers, but all the people of our state who take advantage of the services those employers provide.”
For example, Delaware’s public school superintendents approached the College in 2019 asking for help to address the state’s teacher shortage, which has since been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their idea was to create a pipeline to “grow their own” teachers with students who could return to their home districts to teach once they received their college degrees. Because 97 percent of Delaware Tech graduates remain in the state, the superintendents suggested the College develop a bachelor’s degree in education to prepare teachers who would then work in Delaware.
“Delaware Tech’s existing Associate of Arts in teaching and partnerships with local schools provided a solid foundation for responding to this call to action from the school chiefs,” said Dr. Lisa Peel, associate vice president for academic affairs.
After three years of research and planning, Delaware Tech is offering a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at the Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown campuses for the first time this fall. The College surveyed district and school leaders, 94.9 percent of whom supported the College creating the bachelor’s degree program to produce certified teachers. The program includes a combination of in-person and online coursework that culminates in a year-long residency experience to further diversify and strengthen the pipeline to Delaware schools.
“Delaware Tech’s Bachelor of Education fills a significant need throughout the state of Delaware,” said Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, former superintendent of the Caesar Rodney School District who now works to support school leaders through the Delaware Academy for School Leadership. “The opportunity for high school students in Teacher Academies to transition into an affordable program while staying connected with their community is a win for the students wishing to become teachers, the districts facing a teacher shortage, and most importantly, Delaware’s schoolchildren.”
The College had previously begun a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program after being approached by Delaware hospitals asking for an RN-to-BSN program for nurses so they could meet the education requirements to achieve Magnet Recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This program began in 2017, offering registered nurses the opportunity to earn their BSN degree at Delaware Tech.
Since the program was implemented, 298 students have graduated with their BSN degree. But even prior to adding the BSN program, Delaware Tech had been working to address a projected nursing shortage outlined in a 2002 report from the Delaware Healthcare Commission. With the support of the Health Fund Advisory Committee, the College developed a New Nurse Development Program to educate nurses for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other health care facilities throughout the state.
And back in 2019, Delaware Tech broke ground on an Automotive Center of Excellence (ACOE) at its Georgetown campus and began offering diesel technology classes at its Middletown Center, which also offers certificate programs for heavy equipment operators, small-engine repair, and construction safety. The opening of the Middletown Center and the Automotive Center of Excellence came in direct response to the demands of the local workforce, which was in desperate need of trained and certified diesel mechanics.
The College celebrated the opening of the 13,500-square-foot ACOE in October 2021, which, along with the Middletown Center, houses the first diesel mechanic training program in the region. The ACOE doubles the number of automotive technicians trained at Delaware Tech in Georgetown each year from 20 to 40 and allows the College to train up to 15 diesel mechanics per year.
“Delaware Tech is a great example of our educational institutions responding to our state’s workforce needs,” U.S. Senator Tom Carper said when the ACOE opened. “This center will not only be an economic driver for the region, it will also keep our local students interested in learning this trade here.”
These are just some of the most recent examples of Delaware Tech’s response to workforce needs, but the College will continue to focus on its mission to meet ever-changing employer demands, which have also been impacted by the pandemic. Stay tuned.
