ROCK HILL— In a recent publication, the U.S. Department of Education recognized a number of York Technical College programs and strategies for their innovation and effectiveness. The 21st-Century Community College: A Strategic Guide to Maximizing Labor Market Responsiveness was published in three volumes by the Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

Volume 1 was subtitled "Unleashing the Power of the Community College." In it, York Tech's Institute for Manufacturing Productivity was recognized as "Example 1" for its innovative approach to meeting "both local and national workforce needs in the area of manufacturing, and to improve the productivity of manufacturing industries in the United States." The Institute, a partnership between the college and manufacturing leaders like Okuma America and Charmilles Technologies, has earned a national reputation as a model of excellence.

In Volume 2, subtitled "Promising Practices and Lessons from the Field," York Technical College programs, practices, and leadership were repeatedly recognized:

• College President Dr. Dennis Merrell was quoted: "If a community college is only looking at their service area, they've got to get their heads out of the sand. We're looking at the thing right in front of us, but we miss the tsunami."

• York Tech's work with alternative fuel vehicles was cited as an example of "anticipating the economic future."

• The positive impact of externships curricula by York Tech faculty was given as an example of professional development that works.

• As an example of the importance of a unified organizational culture: "Virtually all the staff, faculty, and administrators at York Technical College in South Carolina with whom we spoke, including those not directly associated with technical career preparation, spoke of the importance of having manufacturing in their community and its capacity for creating wealth through associated service jobs. This common belief clearly originated in the president's office to focus the staff on the college's niche in improving manufacturing productivity."

• York Tech's DACUM (Develop A Curriculum) was featured as a good example of how to put together a competency-based curriculum. The process involves bringing employees of industry to campus for a day and picking their brains to discover the competencies necessary for particular jobs and then making sure coursework addresses those competencies.

• The report also recognized the strong support given to the college by York County: "This support is based on the college's productivity and the fact that 93 percent of its graduates remain in the county. The college has clearly communicated to local officials that funding York Tech is the equivalent of investing in the county's economic development."

• York Technical College was also applauded for created a training exchange on its website: "It posts a list of employers engaged in contract training with the college or other private firms. The site plays both a brokering role, as companies can see the range and type of training options offered, and a marketing one, as companies that observe the training offered by the college are enticed to become clients."

The goals of the Department of Education project were to 1) determine the characteristics of a "market responsive" community college and identify the indicators and measures by which market responsiveness can be judged; 2) identify the policies and practices community colleges have put in place to facilitate and support labor market responsiveness; 3) pinpoint the steps colleges can take to improve labor market responsiveness and the quality of customized programs they offer to students; and 4) disseminate that knowledge to the field.

Electronic copies of DOE's publication are available online at http://www.yorktech.com/21st-Century.