Newly-formatted LINCS Adult Education Courses Learning Portal

Hello Program Management Colleagues,

I want to call your attention to the newly-formatted LINCS Adult Education Online Courses Learning Portal. Among other free online professional development courses for adult educators, these  may be of particular interest to members of the Program Management group:

Adult Career Pathways courses

These are intended to help state and local adult education providers deliver programs that help low-skilled adults succeed in postsecondary education and employment. Courses include:

  • Building Strategic Partnerships (1.5 hours): This course is intended for adult education program administrators interested in building new and strengthening existing partnerships essential for successful development and implementation of Adult Career Pathways programs and systems. This course features three modules: (1) Understanding Strategic Partnerships; (2) Engaging Strategic Partnerships; and (3) Sustaining Strategic Partnerships.
  • Integrating Career Counseling and Planning into Adult Education (3 hours): This course is intended for adult educators, administrators, coaches, case managers, transition specialists, career counselors, and others working with adult learners seeking to transition to the next step along a career pathway. The course features three modules: (1) Career Counseling and Planning Programs; (2) Individual Career Development Plan Process; and (3) Transition to Employment and Postsecondary Education.
  • Engaging Employers in Adult Career Pathways (2 hours): Through this course, participants learn how to identify, engage, and sustain engagement of appropriate employers in the development of career pathways programs. The course features three modules: (1) Creating a Business-Education Partnership; (2) Building Business Engagement; and (3) Sustaining Business Engagement.

Workforce Preparation

  • Introduction to Workforce Preparation and Employability Skills (1.5 hours): This course is designed for adult educators, administrators, teachers, and advisors who seek an introduction to the general concept of workforce preparation and the specific skills outlined in the U.S. Department of Education’s Employability Skills Framework. Participants should expect to learn what constitutes the workforce preparation activities referenced in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA); explain how to integrate workforce preparation activities into adult education programming and instruction; and locate resources you can use to develop and incorporate workforce preparation activities into curriculum and instruction. This course is the first in a two-part series exploring workforce preparation skills. The second course is Workforce Preparation Activities in the Classroom: Contextualizing Employability Skills for Deeper Learning.
  • Workforce Preparation Activities in the Classroom: Contextualizing Employability Skills for Deeper Learning (1.5 hours): This course is designed for adult educators, administrators, teachers, and advisors who would like more familiarity with how workforce preparation and employability skills can be incorporated into instructional activities. It is recommended that learners also complete the Introduction to Workforce Preparation and Employability Skills course, which covers workforce preparation and the specific skills outlined in the U.S. Department of Education’s Employability Skills Framework. After completing this course, participants will be able to: describe the rationale behind contextualized instruction that simultaneously addresses college and career readiness instruction and general workforce preparation and employability skills, and demonstrate how this rationale is already incorporated into an existing curriculum; explain best practices concerning workforce preparation activities as referenced in WIOA and illustrate how these practices are currently being used to teach employability skills to adult learners; and locate resources you can use to develop and incorporate workforce preparation activities into curriculum and instruction.

David J. Rosen, Moderator

LINCS CoP Program Management group