At a Glance
In an effort to meet the needs of its industry partners and to accommodate their busy schedules, Berks Career and Technology Center (BCTC) builds in flexibility for when it holds Occupational Advisory Committee (OAC) meetings and the manner by which it conducts these meetings.
Description
BCTC observed declining participation among industry partners at OAC meetings due to COVID concerns, scheduling conflicts, and the ease of access to technology. To address these challenges, BCTC began scheduling OAC meetings over the course of multiple days and allowing for flexibility in how the meetings are conducted – in-person, virtual, or a hybrid of both. This shift in scheduling affords some choice for industry partners in when and how they attend the meetings.
BCTC first implemented this different approach to scheduling OAC meetings between the Fall 2020 OAC meeting and the Spring 2021 OAC meeting. Then, BCTC administrators and instructors further refined the process for the Fall 2021 OAC meeting.
To implement this shift in scheduling OAC meetings, BCTC administrators and instructors collaborated with industry partners to find an approach that met their needs.
Impact
Based on anecdotal feedback (BCTC has not yet been able to pull official data), attendance at OAC meetings has increased since BCTC implemented these scheduling changes.
Contact
Berks Career and Technology Center
https://berkscareer.com/
Dr. Michael Stauffer, Executive Director
mbstauffer@berkscareer.com