Integrated Education and Training Program Development and Implementation Strategies for Community College Administrators

Integrated Education and Training (IET) programs are increasing in popularity and prevalence within community colleges throughout the country as a means to help underprepared adults complete career technical education programs in an accelerated fashion. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2010), IET programs combine occupational skills training with adult education services to increase the educational and career advancement of participants. Targeted students may never have completed high school. They may be non-native English speakers, or they may simply be lacking college-readiness in one or more areas. In IET programs, adults receive occupational skills training and adult education services simultaneously in a concurrent or co-enrollment fashion (Dann-Messier, 2010). These programs are now emphasized within the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA), with reportable outcomes required as a part of the National Reporting System. Despite the rising popularity of IET programs, comprehensive and practical guidance on developing and implementing them is largely lacking. Various and scattered professional development and online training modules are available, but there is no single practical source available to carry program administrators from start to finish. This project dissertation serves as a practitioner’s guidebook on IET program development and best practices. An overview of IET programming, career pathways, and other student success strategies is provided, accompanied by practical guidance for program administrators, state agencies, and professional development providers seeking to design and implement IET programs within a community college environment.