b'MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGEExecutive SummaryDeeply embedded in the educational, economic,local employers revealed a deficiency in students social, and cultural life of Stone, Harrison, Jackson, andessential skills.Ultimately, attendance/punctuality, George Counties, Mississippi Gulf Coast Communitylistening, and speaking proved to be the areas of College (MGCCC) is a vibrant institution that strives togreatest need.It became evident that while MGCCC provide superior instruction through traditional andwas doing an excellent job of teaching students hard technological formats to offer workforce pathways,skills, it had neglected to place the same level of certificates, diplomas, and associate transfer andemphasis on essential skills.Using this data, the QEP applied degrees (Mission Statement).MGCCCsTopic Development Committee worked to design a Strategic Plan 2020 identifies four commitments thatpractical and effective solution to deliver engaging guide all decisions at the institution: Teaching andessential skills training to Career students.Learning, Student Success, Community Engagement and Partnerships, and Culture of Innovation. The final product of these efforts is Embracing Essential Skills!, MGCCCs Quality Enhancement Plan. These commitments ensure that our programs prepareThis initiative provides an opportunity to have both students to excel in all areas of their lives.The Collegean immediate and lasting impact on the careers of has cultivated relationships with local and nationalstudents.The development and implementation of businesses and organizations that have allowed usmodules that teach attendance/punctuality, listening, to develop programs that equip graduates with 21stand speaking skills in Career classes and the redesign century skills that qualify them to become productiveof Public Speaking I constitute the core actions of members of the workforce and academia.Aligningthe QEP.During each semester of their programs, with the four commitments, our Quality EnhancementCareer students acquire and develop a new aspect Plan (QEP) is an integral part of serving the needs ofof the essential skills while intentionally practicing our students and stakeholders. the essential skills that they have already learned. We anticipate that this immersion into essential skills Its purpose is to propagate a culture oftraining will result in profound behavioral change essential skills improvement among Careeramong MGCCC Career students, subsequently students by aligning academic and supportstrengthening the College with more polished services with best practices and resources thatstudents and the employers that hire MGCCC students empower students to take ownership of theirwith more refined employees.A pilot of the QEP essential skills needs related to attendance/ in Smart Start Pathways, a prerequisite for students punctuality, listening, and speaking.embarking on selected Career pathways, suggests Undergirding all of MGCCCs commitments is athat our goals are realistic. For example, 43% of robust data infrastructure that yields actionablestudents entering the pilot (before intervention) met quantitative and qualitative data, including feedbackexpected outcomes on nonverbal listening while 82% from all of the Colleges stakeholders.When Collegeof students who completed the pilot met expected stakeholders speak, the College listens, and duringoutcomes.We aim to replicate this success with all the QEP Topic Selection Process, both employersof our Career students. and students identified essential skills as an area of need.Consequently, the QEP Topic SelectionThe QEP presents opportunities for meaningful growth Committee submitted a request for proposals tofor MGCCC students.While the QEP focuses on Career students, partners in business and industry, andprograms, we envision scaling essential skills training employees.From among several strong proposals,to a broader audience over time, if manageable.After the submission from the Pi Epsilon chapter of Phireflecting on QEP-specific data collected from Career Theta Kappa,Soft Skills for Hard Work, emergedprograms, the QEP Implementation Committee will as the selected topic.This student groups researchidentify the most successful elements of the plan combined with research conducted by the Collegesand refine the implementation process, creating a Institutional Research department and feedback fromframework to propagate a culture of essential skills across the institution. 6 MGCCC QEP 2019'