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 | Digital Divide Best Practices |  | |
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Follow-up
We all want to know how and what our students do
when they complete the training. Where are they working? Who has
gone to college? What can they tell us about the value of what they
learned? To keep students communicating, it's got to be creative,
simple and beneficial.
In these communities, addresses change, telephone
numbers are disconnected and people disappear. Once they leave training,
communicating back is voluntary. After discussions with students,
here are some techniques used by Networking Academies.
Networking Academies within some organizations are required to follow
the student for 30 days, 90 days or up to one year. They have structured
follow-up procedures.
Cisco has launched an Alumni
site that will provide employment information and benefits to graduates
of the Networking Academy program
"We track the students quarterly by phone, in
person, or with the employer for one year."
Greg Murray
Communities in Schools
Detroit, MI
Instructors
The student is most likely to contact the instructor
after the training. Any formal follow-up strategy must include instructor
input and participation. However, keep in mind that the instructor's
focus is still in the classroom.
In their new careers, former students will most likely
communicate through email and have access to computers and the Internet.
A mail group or listserv is most effective when communication starts
during the program and continues after training. Someone in the organization
has to be responsible for maintenance.
"I set up an e-group. Whenever I find something that might be
of interest to them, I put it up on the e-group."
Adam Toback, Instructor
Phoenix Job Corps
Phoenix, AZ
"We set up a listserv. The students, faculty and administrators
communicate during and after training. The former students network
for jobs and discuss current job issues. They also act as mentors
to the current class. The teacher moderates and maintains the listserv.
There is an unspoken code of how and what to say. And the students
have been good at enforcing it with each other. We plan to eventually
work industry networkers on to the listserv to help mentor and coach."
Acte Maldonado, Dean
Borough of Manhattan Community College
New York, NY
Technical careers require constant skills updates,
and this is important for graduates. Working out discounts at your
organization or at local organizations is a good way to keep former
students in the loop.
"We arranged for prior graduates to come back and train for free.
The community college holds 25% of the seats in adult training for
our prior graduates."
Carlos Colom
Alameda County Office of Education
Hayward, CA
"We've offered available seats to graduates in our Learning for
a Lifetime Program. These seats are provided at a discount for technology
classes that are equipment dependant or they can be free in classes
like Business Writing, Financial Planning, or college prep classes."
Acte Maldonado, Dean
Borough of Manhattan Community College
New York, NY
Graduates of the program may want to give back to
the community. They often feel more comfortable working in the community.
Working with former students to train and recruit new students both
increases follow up and maximizes resources.
"Two of our graduates have come back and said they'd like to
teach in the community part-time. We're planning to train them and
have them assist the instructor until we feel they are ready for
their own class. We might have them share a class so that they don't
have to worry about their current jobs. In the meantime, they live
in the community and do a much better job of locating people who
won't answer our calls or have moved."
Acte Maldonado, Dean
Borough of Manhattan Community College
New York, NY
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