August 2011 – Three community and technical colleges earned Texas Skill Standards Board (TSSB) recognition for integrating skill standards into five workforce education programs, as follows: 

• Clarendon College for integrating the Wind Turbine Technician Skill Standards into its Wind Energy Associate
  of Applied Science (AAS) Degree and Wind Technician Level 2 Certificate;

• Houston Community College for integrating the Biotechnology and Biomedical Skill Standards for Research
  and Development into its Biotechnology AAS Degree and for integrating the Industrial Instrumentation and
  Controls Technician Skill Standards into its Instrumentation and Controls Engineering Technology AAS
  Degree; and

• The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College for integrating the Medical Office
  Manager Skill Standards into its Medical Office Management AAS Degree.

The skill standards enhanced programs, which were endorsed by the programs’ industry advisory committees, will benefit both employers and graduates.  Graduates will gain the work competencies—skills and knowledge—that employers have agreed are required for success in the occupational area.  Employers in turn will gain a more qualified workforce. 

The following college faculty provided leadership at their college in integrating the skill standards into the curriculum and applying for TSSB program recognition:

• Donny Cagle, Wind Energy Program Coordinator at Clarendon College

• John Galiotos, Division Chair, Business and Technology, and Alan Isaachsen, Instrumentation Professor, at
  Houston Community College Northeast

• Mary Valencia, Assistant Master Technical Instructor, with the assistance of Irma Jones, Ph.D., Professor,
  Applied Business Technology Department at The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost
  College

All the colleges successfully completed the deliverables to earn a Program Year 2011 Skill Standards Based Curriculum Development Project grant, provided under Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education state leadership funds from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  The deliverables included integrating skill standards into the curriculum and successfully applying for TSSB program recognition. 

The colleges’ staff took advantage of TSSB resources to facilitate integration of the skill standards.  They followed the TSSB’s recommended six-step process in the guidance document, A User’s Guide: Incorporating Skill Standards into Community and Technical College Curriculum, which is available to download from this site.  They also received technical assistance from TSSB staff, provided on-site at the college. 

Examples of the application materials submitted by these colleges’ staff for program recognition are available at the TSSB Recognized Community and Technical College Programs page. 

For more information, please contact Anne Dorsey at 512/936-8100.