Ivy Tech Community College Northeast will partner with Fort Wayne based True North Strategic Advisors, LLC, to conduct a regional community needs assessment study. This announcement follows the regional board of trustees successful raising of $25,000 in funding commitments through the Ivy Tech Foundation to finance the study.
“The Ivy Tech Northeast Regional Board of Trustees is responsible to our community to serve as informed advocates for our region’s program and workforce development opportunities,” says Ivy Tech regional board chair, Dr. Robert Dettmer. “From this study will come data to address the specific needs of our immigrant and English Language Learners, and the adequacy of serving our region from the Fort Wayne hub.”
Objectives of the study are to:
- Determine the needs of the region’s workforce and local employers
- Scope the educational needs of our community
- Identify how Ivy Tech Northeast can develop a strategic plan to capitalize on the needs
- Identify Ivy Tech’s greatest strengths and weaknesses
- Provide a detailed report of recommendations with specific goals, opportunities and metrics
The study is expected to take place over an 8- to 10-month period beginning January 2015 and will be based on both qualitative and quantitative data collected by the research firm. Findings are expected to weigh heavily in shaping Ivy Tech Northeast’s strategic plans.
“The study will help guide the future work of Ivy Tech Northeast, by identifying the greatest challenges and opportunities for service within our nine county region,” says Ivy Tech Northeast Chancellor Jerrilee K. Mosier, Ed.D.
Funding for the study came from the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation, and the City of Fort Wayne—partners that support the College and recognize its significance in contributing to the educated and skilled workforce of northeast Indiana.
“I applaud the initiative of Ivy Tech Northeast’s regional board for their determination to focus on meeting our region’s needs,” says John Sampson, president and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. “Ivy Tech Northeast is a key partner to our Vision 2020 talent priority, the Big Goal. To accelerate growth and progress, we must be laser focused in our talent development efforts.”
In a November 2014 meeting of the trustees, the regional board approved Ivy Tech Northeast’s plan to move forward with raising funds in order to collect data, perform the study, and analyze the region’s job and educational needs as it specifically relates to Ivy Tech Northeast and the nine counties it serves.
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