Dr. Joe May (far left), DCCCD chancellor, and Gloria Smith (center, with award), director of DCCCD’s WorkReadyU program, receive the “Innovator of the Year” Award from Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
Contact: Ann Hatch
214-378-1819;
ahatch@dcccd.edu
For immediate release — Nov. 15, 2017
(DALLAS) — The Dallas County Community College District’s WorkReadyU team recently was honored by Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas for its adult education initiative. Dr. Joe May, DCCCD’s chancellor, and Gloria Smith, who directs WorkReadyU for the district, accepted “Innovator of the Year” honors on behalf of the entire team during a special event for awardees.
DCCCD and every college in the district integrated their adult education program, which teaches participants the skills they need for college or career success. WorkReadyU helps students: improve basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics; improve workforce skills, such what to wear to an interview, time management and other related areas; GED preparation; and job training. Free ESL classes are offered, too.
Smith said, “The WorkReadyU Team is very excited to accept this award on behalf of the Dallas County Community College District. Very few things in life are entirely the work of one person, and this effort is no exception. I would like to personally thank the seven colleges in our system for tackling this initiative head-on.”
She added, “The integration of adult education services into post-secondary education will help participants in our program transition successfully to higher education, which will improve their chances of completing certificates and degrees and also will allow them to become competitive and prosperous members of the workforce.”
Connie Rash, senior vice president and board secretary for Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, said, “DCCCD has developed innovative initiatives to better serve adult learners through college and career readiness, including transition programs. Across its seven campuses and satellite locations, DCCCD AEL staff have developed and integrated strategies to refer and align instructional services and resources with developmental education, academic advising, disability services, and assessment and learning centers.”
DCCCD also received the 2017 Industry Sector Outreach Award and for its 2017 AEL Employer Partnership with DART.
Other award recipients who were recognized during the special event included: Kroger — 2017 Local Employer of Excellence: UPS — Employer of the Year; FFE/KLLM — 2017 Veteran Employer of the Year (who offers a truck driving training academy through a partnership with DCCCD and Cedar Valley College); Powell Manufacturing — 2017 Small Employer of the Year; Wilkinson Center – 2017 Board AEL Vocational Rehabilitation Collaboration Award; Mesquite Workforce Center — 2017 Workforce Center of the Year; and Barbara Nwaigbo — 2017 Randal Wier Workforce Excellence Award.
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