Lane Community College�Capacity Cafe

@achievethedream #ATDNetwork #ATDToday

September 23, 2026

Framing the Capacity Café �(20 minutes)

Building Capacity for Transformation

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Delivering data-informed, community-connected transformation at scale requires bold, holistic, and sustainable institutional change in structures, policies, practices and mindsets

Research and field learning identified seven key capacity areas fundamental to successful design and implementation of institutional change

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Leadership Commitment Digital Transformation

Data Empowerment Disciplined Implementation

Educational Excellence Community Connectedness

Organizational Agility

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Institutional Capacity Assessment

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Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool (ICAT) helps colleges self-assess and identify strengths and opportunities for additional capacity building to support whole-college transformation

Faculty, staff, and administrators assess their institution’s capacity in each area and engage in group dialogue to

• Celebrate strengths
• Prioritize opportunities for additional capacity building
• Identify concrete strategies and actions for building additional capacity to support digital transformation

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Institutional Capacity Participation

128 total Lane College participants

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Institutional Capacity Assessment

ICAT participants assess the institutions capacity on scale of Limited or Developing to Emerging and Accomplished

Lane’s participants assessed the college’s capacity as Developing, except in Educational Excellence (Emerging)

• Community Connectedness second highest
• Digital Transformation, Organizational Agility and Disciplined Implementation show greatest opportunity for capacity-building

Community Connectedness Strengths

More than 30% participants assessed Emerging or Exemplary, in order

• Students representative of the community
• Administrators, faculty and staff representative of the community
• Partnerships in place with community-based organizations to support basic needs
• Collaboration with employers to co-develop programs and services
• Institution embraces upward mobility as end goal of reform efforts

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Areas for Growth and Capacity Building

More than 30% assessed capacity as Limited or Developing

• Financial resources leveraged locally to keep cost of college down, especially for low-income populations
• Institution educates constituents about how it can impact local community
• Administrators, faculty and staff representative of the community
• Institution embraces upward mobility as end goal of reform efforts
• Value of community partnerships assessed to inform improvement
• Institution collaborates with employers to co-develop programs and services

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Other Areas for Improved Communication

More than 40% participants responded “I Don’t Know”

• High school dual enrollment students representative of community
• Institution helps employers see all people and communities as talent prospects
• Institution partners with civic leadership/grassroot organizations with strong relationships with populations left behind
• Institution engages in proactive outreach to “disconnected populations”
• Value of community partnerships assessed to inform improvements
• Financial resources leveraged to keep costs of college down
• Institution educates constituents about its impact

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What questions or observations do you have about your colleagues’ assessment of Lane’s capacity for community engagement?

Learnings from the Community

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• Work Readiness and Essential Skills: closing digital and foundational skills gaps, job-readiness training, on-the-job learning, and expanding apprenticeships.
• Wrap-Around Student Support: comprehensive support, including mental health care, basic needs assistance (e.g., housing, food), and structured mentoring models, with an emphasis on expanding access at satellite campuses.
• Employer Collaboration: strengthening direct partnerships with local employers, industry sectors, and regional economic agencies to overcome hiring resistance, build career ladders, and establish a shared regional language
• Early K-12 Pipeline Alignment: expanding P-16 alignment, Career Pathways, and CTE programs to foster a college-going mindset early (middle and high school), reach "middle-pack" students, and engage families through local schools and community networks.
• Post-Completion Data Tracking and Stop-Out Re-Engagement: improved tracking of post-graduation metrics (employment rates, earnings) alongside targeted outreach, scholarships, and barrier analysis to re-engage students who stopped out before completing credentials.

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Conversation on what is needed, �what we have, and where might we begin?

Take a look at four of the five learnings from the community conversations and consider what we know from research and best practice. Consider the following:

1. Our strengths
2. What we need – consider ICAT questions
3. Where might we begin?

Conversation on what is needed, �what we have, and where might we begin?

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• Review the research and high impact practice in 2 of the 4 areas
• Break into two groups and discuss where we might begin
• Community-identified needs
• Institutional strengths
• Partnership leveraging and development
• Document next steps and partnership needs
• Break
• Repeat process with remaining 2 areas

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Work Readiness/Essential Skills and Wrap-around Supports �(45 minutes with Breakout Groups)

Work Readiness and Essential Skills

Participants from all regions emphasized closing digital and foundational skills gaps, job-readiness training, on-the-job learning, and expanding apprenticeships. (12 mentions)

• What do we know from the research?
• What examples of high impact practice could we consider?

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National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).�

Career readiness is a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare the college educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management,

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For new college graduates, career readiness is key to ensuring successful entrance into the workforce. Career readiness is the foundation upon which a successful career is launched. Career readiness is, quite simply, the new career currency.

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For higher education, career readiness provides a framework for addressing career-related goals and outcomes of curricular and extracurricular activities, regardless of the student’s field of study.

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For employers, career readiness plays an important role in sourcing talent, providing a means of identifying key skills and abilities across all job functions; similarly, career readiness offers employers a framework for developing talent through internship and other experiential education programs.

Employers Say New Grads Are Largely Prepared for Work, With Room to Improve.

• Date: April 20, 2026
• By: Mary Gatta

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Findings

In terms of career readiness skills, employers see communication, teamwork, professionalism, and critical thinking skills as most important for new graduates, and most give new grads high marks for their teamwork abilities.

But they are less impressed with new grads’ proficiency in communication, professionalism, and critical thinking skills.

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https://naceweb.org/career-readiness/trends-and-predictions/employers-say-new-grads-are-largely-prepared-for-work-with-room-to-improve

Definitions

Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.

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Critical Thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.

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*This competency is currently under review. Please visit our website for more information.

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Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.

Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.

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Ways to address gaps: South Texas College�Harvard Study on Community College Advancing Economic Mobility

1. Integrating career readiness skills across the student experience. Coursework, internships and other experiential opportunities, and co-curricular activities all help students develop workplace skills that employers are looking for and can support their workforce preparation.
2. Students need help articulating and demonstrating their skills to employers. In fact, the overwhelming majority of employers said they want potential candidates not to just list their skills but to provide examples

STC’s long-standing use of labor market information (LMI) and innovative technologies to align its programs with workforce demands and facilitate economic mobility for students.�

• Like many other institutions, interdepartmental communication and data standards at STC are uneven. In interviews, college leaders discussed their proactive approaches to these common institutional challenges.
• There are multiple interdepartmental groups designed to facilitate communication on key issues, including the Digital Learning Advisory Council and the Library & Learning Support Services Advisory Group.
• The college uses a layered process for LMI, Advisory Committees, Program Review with support from Lightcast, Starfish, DegreeWorks and credentials of value.

Wrap-Around Student Support

Adults Need More Guidance

50% of respondents reported that they did not discuss career options during their first advising session

80-90% of respondents did not have conversations about earning potential in a given career field or discuss the types of jobs available in certain fields

62% of respondents reported that there were no conversations about receiving academic credit for prior learning, training, and/or work experience when they first met with an advisor

57% of advisors reported they “rarely” or “never” received specific training from their college on advising adult learners

Source: Improving Economic Mobility for Adult Learners (IEMAL) initiative evaluation, Jobs for the Future

Adults in the “ALICE” Population �Have Multiple Basic Needs

What can we learn? What do our partners have?

• A national survey of college students conducted in 2023-24 by the Hope Center found that 73% of students at two-year colleges experience some form of basic needs insecurity. Fifty-one percent of two-year students reported experiencing some form of housing insecurity, and 15% reported experiencing homelessness in the previous 12 months. Forty-three percent reported experiencing food insecurity in the previous 30 days.^[1]
• Eighty-three percent of two-year college students who dropped out said basic needs insecurity was one reason why.^[2]
• African American/Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and LGBTQ+ community college students in California were more likely to report basic needs insecurities than their peers.^[3]
• The Hope Center survey found that 74% of parenting students reported food and/or housing insecurity. Black parenting students in particular experience high rates of basic needs insecurity, at 85%. Eighty-six percent of parenting students reported difficulty affording childcare.^[4]
• Community college students experiencing food or housing insecurity appear more likely to report mental health challenges.^[5]

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Breakout Groups �(30 minutes)

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Consider our strengths and what the community needs and focus on

• Next steps: where might we begin
• Partnership opportunities: new and enhanced

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Break (10 minutes)

Employer Collaboration and �Early K12 Pipeline�(45 minutes with Breakout Groups)

Conversation on what is needed, �what we have, and where might we begin?�Part 2

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• Review the research and high impact practice in 2 of the 4 areas
• Break into two groups and discuss where we might begin
• Community-identified needs
• Institutional strengths
• Partnership leveraging and development
• Document next steps and partnership needs
• Break
• Repeat process with remaining 2 areas

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Employer Collaboration

Stakeholders stressed strengthening direct partnerships with local employers, industry sectors, and regional economic agencies to overcome hiring resistance, build career ladders, and establish a shared regional language around workforce solutions.

• What do we know from the research?
• What examples of high impact practice could we consider?

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Employer Collaboration

Nationally, educators and employers are failing to create a steady pipeline of workers required to keep US economy competitive, local communities thriving and workers able to accomplish their social and economic goals

• Employers complain they can’t find the talent they need
• Educators struggle to get employers engaged in curriculum development, access to information on new skill requirements and development of internships, apprenticeships and work-based learning experiences

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Source: the Partnership Imperative: Community Colleges, Employers and America’s Chronic Skills Gap

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Employer Collaboration

General consensus that colleges and employers need to collaborate better

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Employer Collaboration

Research indicates that labor market information (LMI) is essential resource to align their programs and employers

• Without it, dim prospects for community colleges to keep pace with changing skill requirements
• Technology presents opportunity to leverage new tools, programs and processes

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LMI is powerful tool, but data often difficult to interpret and data is imperfect and backward looking

• Data needs to be validated and supplemented with meaningful employer relationships and feedback loops to ensure alignment
• Employer partnerships create opportunities for co-developing curricula and providing work-based learning opportunities

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Source: Data & Technology in Action, Community Colleges: Advancing Economic Mobility

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An Example:�Hudson County Community College

Data-driven approach, leveraging diverse set of data sources, technology platforms, and community, policy and industry partners to bridge the gap between the broad skills highlighted by LMI and the specific competencies that individual employers seek

• Partnerships with employers to translate real-time labor market data into exact qualifications, technical skills or industry-specific knowledge to inform academic programming
• Partnerships with state and regional organizations for supplemental advocacy, workforce training, research and industry connections
• Internal partnerships with IR and IT to automate critical administrative processes, including alumni tracking systems, that also enable long term impact measurement and reporting to employers for continuous improvement and trust-building
• Cross-collaborative partnerships and innovation between academic and student affairs to integrate comprehensive student supports

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Early K-12 Pipeline Alignment

Discussions focused on expanding P-16 alignment, Career Pathways, and CTE programs to foster a college-going mindset early (middle and high school), reach "middle-pack" students, and engage families through local schools and community networks. (8 mentions)

Baseline data:

• ~55% of high school seniors in Oregon enroll in college directly after graduation
• ~65% rural students participating in dual enrollment in high school enroll in college directly after graduation
• Gender, race/ethnicity and income gaps continue to persist

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Early K-12 Pipeline Alignment

Career Ladders Project suggests multi-faceted approach to increase awareness and enrollment in Dual Enrollment and college programs overall

• Engage with data: who are we not serving? Do they know we are here? Do we meet their needs?
• Use data to focus on postsecondary and career outcomes
• Engage families to create “demand pull,” whole-family supports (such as job and language training for parents) and greater understanding of college value and culture
• Engage communities to leverage existing relationships, trust and messaging effectiveness
• Center historically underserved students and families in outreach and recruiting using multiple modalities and focused outreach

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Early K-12 Pipeline Alignment

Career Ladders Project also suggests

• Leverage equity centered programs and services on campus
• Simplify admissions and financial aid processes
• Develop communities of practice (college advisors/HS counselors, HS and college faculty)
• Improve dual enrollment pathways, both transfer and CTE
• Take college to students (alternate high schools, juvenile justice facilities)
• Establish dual enrollment by default

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Two Examples of Intentionally Designed Approaches

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Orangeburg Calhoun TC

• 2.2K enrollment
• 72% part-time
• 60% Black and Latinx
• Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties, SC
• ~100K population
• ~70% Black and Latinx
• Poverty rate: ~25%

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Lorain County CC

• 13K enrollment
• 74% part-time
• 30% Black and Latinx
• Lorain County, OH
• ~310K population
• ~30% Black and Latinx
• Poverty rate: ~14%

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@AchieveTheDream | #ATD_Network

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K12 to College Roadmap

Elem School (5th Grade) – College/Career Awareness

• Classroom Presentations
• Campus Visits

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Middle School – College/Career Interest

• Parent/Student Nights

High School – College/Career Preparation

• Guidance Counselor Leadership Institute
• College Ready - Advanced Academies in Adv Manuf, Healthcare, & Arts & Sci; Early College Pathways + WBL
• Non-college Ready – COL 103

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Lorain’s Approach to Increasing Educational Attainment

Bridges to Success focused on 48% high school seniors with no likely dual enrollment credits and no plan for postsecondary education or training

• Structured program aligned with stackable credentials high opportunity careers, now scaled to 14 high schools, through dual enrollment policy waiver from state
• 38% matriculated to LCCC in Fall 2026; another third to other postsecondary

New program to connect 18-24 year olds who did not engage in postsecondary within year of HS completion

• Using data to show economic impact of postsecondary credential compared to current earnings
• Working with employers to strengthen hiring pipelines

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Breakout Groups (30 minutes)

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Consider our strengths and what the community needs and focus on

• Next steps: where might we begin
• Partnership opportunities: new and enhanced

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Gallery Walk (25 minutes)

Gallery Walk

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After the second round,

• Review the gallery of post-it notes
• Reflect on what the group has identified as next steps and partnership opportunities
• Identify patterns, themes, deeper questions and next steps

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Summary and Next Steps

Summary and Next Steps

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What did we learn? Patterns, priorities, surprises?

Any changes in how we might think about/approach partnerships with employers, community-based organization, K12, others?

Priorities for next steps: how can this learning inform the strategic plan?

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