Title of Effective Practice: - California Postsecondary Education ...

Direct Connection to Policy Area 5 of The Illinois Commitment
Work Ethics Curriculum
Parkland College
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice? Today’s workforce is demanding. In order to be
considered responsible and productive, employees must have a high degree of knowledge and skill, along with a
positive, cooperative attitude or “work ethic.” This curriculum is designed to help students develop the interpersonal
skills needed in today’s competitive workplace.
Description of the effective practice: Along with technical skills, employers consider interpersonal competencies
and personal qualities to be equally important. Examples of such competencies/qualities include: the ability to work
well with others, self-esteem, sociability, integrity, honesty, self-management, responsibility and dependability. The
Work Ethics curriculum at Parkland is designed to instill these characteristics and develop them to a marketable level.
The curriculum was first viewed by the college at an American Technical Education Association conference. The
college purchased the materials in FY2002 and implemented it in the construction design and management program
in FY2003. Eight faculty were trained to be trainers in October 2003 and in December 2003, 46 district 505 high
school faculty and administrators were trained in the use of the curriculum. Parkland also conducted training for 75
district 517 high school faculty/administrators.
The work ethics program is described fully in the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education Work Ethics
manual. Business and industry leaders have identified essential work traits that colleges should teach and students
should practice in order to develop a viable, effective workforce. Those traits are: attendance, character, teamwork,
appearance, attitude, productivity, organizational skills, communication, cooperation and respect. Each student
receives a handbook, and every week or two, faculty emphasize a different work ethics characteristic and conduct a
brief lesson on the topic. Faculty also model the behaviors and characteristics that are expected of students. Students
are evaluated as to whether they exceed or fail to meet expectations as outlined in the handbook, and receive a work
ethics grade that is posted to a certificate given to the student at the completion of the course. Students are
encouraged to include these certificates in their employment credentials and employers are informed that these
certificates have been issued.
At present, the curriculum is not implemented uniformly throughout the college. The following programs and
courses are using the curriculum or pieces of the curriculum.
• All Health Professions programs
• Landscape Design
• Most Agricultural Business AAS degree programs
• Some Agriculture transfer courses
• Business Management
• CIS 111 Career Overview – this course is required in all Computer Science degree programs
• Office Professional program
• Computer Support Specialist programs
• Construction Design and Management
How does this practice achieve sustainability?
Perkins, Tech Prep Support and CTE Strand grants were used to fund materials and training cost. Otherwise, the
program is self sustaining, since the curriculum is embedded into existing courses.
What are the results/measurable outcomes?
Since the curriculum is integrated into currently existing courses, it is difficult to directly determine the effectiveness
of the program. However, between FY2004 and 2005 (latest available data), graduate employment increased at least
9% for health professions programs, construction design and management, business management and office
professional programs. Other programs already had high employment rates (landscape design, and computer support
specialists).
Contact Information
Name: Rich Lake
Email: RichLake@Parkland.edu
Phone: (217) 351-1170
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