2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

industry, and economic agencies, public and private, in order to foster strength and prosperity in
the economic sectors of agriculture, tourism, small and big business, and industry.
In FY2008, the College awarded a total of 89 degrees or certificates in four general occupational
categories (Indicator 19): business, data processing, natural science, and public service. A total
of 67 degrees or certificates were awarded in business, almost twice the FY 2010 benchmark and
a 52% increase from the number awarded in FY2006. Eleven degrees or certificates were
awarded in natural science, four more than were awarded in FY 2007, and just one shy of the
FY2010 benchmark. A total of 8 degrees or certificates in public service were awarded in
FY2008, a number well below the FY2010 benchmark, and a 46.7% decline from FY2007 which
is most likely attributable to the low completion rate of students in the Adventure Sports
program. Three degrees or certificates in data processing were awarded, which is consistent with
previous years, but short of the FY 2010 benchmark.
Feedback from employers of recent Garrett graduates had indicated a consistent level of high
satisfaction (100% for five annual surveys in a row) with the career preparation that Garrett
College graduates receive. The 2005 Employer Survey resulted in a 50% level of satisfaction;
however, a review of the data indicates that there were only two respondents to this question.
One employer rated the career graduate as Very Good, while the other gave a rating of Fair,
causing this anomaly. Eighty-nine percent of Garrett’s graduates indicated that they were
satisfied with their job preparation, and 64% of graduates were employed full-time in jobs
related to their academic field, which is just slightly below the 2008 survey benchmark of 65%.
Workforce development courses support the State Plan’s objective of providing ongoing
educational programs and services that employees and employers require for upgrading skills.
Indicator 24b shows that in a community of approximately 11,000 households, Garrett College
had 6,283 enrollments in non-credit workforce development courses in FY 2008, a 9.7% increase
over FY2007 that surpasses the FY2010 benchmark. Unduplicated annual headcount for
FY2008 also exceeded the FY2010 benchmark, rising to 3,122, an increase of 10.3% over the
previous year. Garrett’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development Division also offers
Continuing Professional Education leading to government or industry-required certification or
licensure. For FY2008, annual unduplicated headcount for Continuing Professional Education
increased slightly, but remained well under the headcount reported for FY2005, which is the high
for the four-year window, and far below the FY2010 benchmark. The increase in annual course
enrollments was more significant (6.8%), but enrollment in Continuing Professional Education
was still well under the high mark set in FY2005, and significantly below the FY2010
benchmark. The general decrease in enrollment in Continuing Professional Education that has
occurred since FY2005 is at least partially due to a decline in professional development being
conducted for a local hospital, and more recently to a decline in enrollment in the Massage
Therapy program.
Continuing Education plans courses and offerings and customizes training in response to the
needs of businesses, governmental and non-profit agencies, and other organizations. For
FY2008, unduplicated annual headcount in contract training courses declined by almost onequarter
from FY2007 and was the lowest over the four-year window. (In FY2007, annual
unduplicated headcount reached a high for the four-year window, exceeding the FY2010
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