The Knowledge to Work (K2W) program at Lord Fairfax Community College provides competency-based education in several career fields. The key to success is student support related to academic basic skills, assistance with all stages of program enrollment/completion, pre-career pipelines through adult basic education (including correctional institutions), and employability skills.
Competency-based education allows students to use prior education and work experience to complete a certificate or degree in certain applied fields. At Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC), the Knowledge to Work (K2W) program was implemented to provide this opportunity to individuals in a variety of Information Technology, Health Information Management, Supervision, and Administrative Systems Technology programs. Funded by a TAACCCT grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the K2W program supports students through all processes, including providing employability skills and help with identifying apprenticeships, internships, and employment. This wrap-around student support is available to all participants, even before they are formally enrolled in the program, and is based on identify potential career pathways and determining how the student can move through the required competencies to achieve career goals.
Students leverage prior education and experience to identify competencies attained, determine which competencies they will acquire in any given time period, and work closely with faculty and coaches to meet competencies using free or reduced-cost resources, usually delivered digitally. Students track their progress through weekly milestones, and receive regular and substantive interaction with faculty. Transcripts are provided in both a traditional format and a competency-based format. For individuals not ready to enroll in K2W, the HigherEd.org portal is available for working on specific competencies.
This program has a component specific to adult learners who need or have received a GED or alternate high school credential and those with concerns about their ability to succeed in postsecondary education. K2W works closely with the regional adult education program to assist these learners acquire the skills they need to move forward on a career pathway with a dedicated instructor and co-enrollment in various programs, including the Plugged In VA cohort. These efforts include an instructor embedded at the regional jail to provide career pathways planning and education to eligible inmates.
The key to success in this program is the support offered to students through coaching by faculty and K2W staff. Students are assessed for program readiness before enrollment, receive regular communication throughout the program, and begin planning for employment as part of their individual learning plan. Wrap-around support includes all aspects of the student experience, from assistance with the college application and registration process to identification of resources, employment research, and resume writing.