2010 Perkins Fall Conference
November 10th, 2010
Cynthia Muna
Director of Perkins North Hennepin Community College and
Special assignment for OOC
Minnesota faces a large and growing undersupply of
workers with postsecondary education.
 By 2018,70% of jobs in Minnesota will require some
postsecondary training beyond high school.
 Currently, only 30% of Minnesota’s working adults have
that level of training.
 Minnesota needs adults to enter and complete career
pathways to postsecondary education and credentials.
 The high school pipeline alone, with a declining
population and graduation rate will not give Minnesota
the workforce it needs.
 To empower Minnesota’s life-long learners to become
self-sufficient contributors to a vital, interdependent
global economy

 The
current MNPOS web advising system was
created to assist high school students
transitioning from secondary to
postsecondary.
 The framework for this system was organized
to help students plan their program of study,
beginning in 9th grade through grade 14.
 Students are able to follow an academic and
technical path to prepare them for the
transition into the college system.

The web advising strand for adults will meet
students where they are on their academic
and/or employment training journey.

The web advising system will offer the
student a road map.

College courses associated with certificate,
diploma, and degree

Wage projections
 Labor
Market data/demand and outlook
 Industry
 Offer
recognized standards and credential
occupational information on high wage,
high skill, and high demand employment
opportunities available to them.
Focus on the needs of students in making career
decisions and employers’ workforce needs
 Include entry and exit points on the map for
opportunities in both education and
employment. Define entry points: prerequisites
set of competencies or credentials
 Assure high school student users utilize the link
to community college roadmaps
 Directly linked to ISEEK labor market
information, which will be automatically
updated
 Be descriptive; not prescriptive

 Provide
access for all students, regardless of
educational or skill level
 Multiple entry and exit points tied to jobs
 Linked to employer needs
 Uses existing curriculum to build toward
degree completion
 Easily understandable
 Meets students’ life needs
 Flexibility
Accounting Bookkeeping Example
Computer Applications for ELL
http://www.pcc.edu/pathway/?id=3
40
http://www.pcc.edu/pathway/?id=3
40
PCC website:
http://www.pcc.edu/career/pathwa
ys/
 The
template can be created to fit the needs
of the learner and institution.
 Guide the student from semester to semester
and assist with tracking completed course
curriculum to obtain certificates, diplomas,
and degrees
 Track credit for prior learning, certifications,
and other short term training, internships,
and service learning project.
 http://oregon.ctepathways.org/a/post_draw
ings.php?action=draw&version_id=497