Successful implementation of programs like the TAACCCT grant opportunities comes down to relentless communication among the masses. I was very pleased to see our Round I grant project go under the microscope in the OCCRL report, "TAACCCT Round One Consortia: The Community College Transformative Change Initiative," including our Transformative Change Scaling Plan, “MOMENTUM.” The report details many innovations underway with some successes achieved. Since the release of this report, I have presented it at monthly meetings of Missouri’s community college Presidents and Chancellors, Chief Academic Officers, the Missouri Workforce Investment Board (MOWIB) meeting held at the annual Governor’s Economic Development Conference, the TAACCCT ON Conference in Topeka, Kansas, and many local partner meetings.

In a massive undertaking such as these TAACCCT grants, success is only experienced when you engage with a team of risk takers and change agents. Our consortium colleges continue to work tirelessly with their grant partners to deliver the innovative successes described within the report whether it be Intrusive Student Support models, or Credit for Prior Learning policies. This report is another venue to convey how our TAACCCT program innovations dovetail with Missouri’s mission to connect state workforce, education, and employer partners. Likewise, college presidents benefit from knowing how TAACCCT-supported programs like these augment their efforts to educate area students in new innovative delivery models, building a future workforce in an accelerated fashion.

I must credit the tremendous collective effort from an outstanding army of consortium personnel engaged in the MoHealthWINs project. Finally, everyone has an opportunity to benefit from not only our report, but also all of the reports that share best practices and implementation solutions, so outreach efforts are a return on all of our investments in time and energy. Implementation efforts such as these TAACCCT innovative initiatives have truly been a rewarding experience.

This is a guest blog post on the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program from Dawn Busick, who serves as the Missouri Community College Association statewide grants director for both Round I MoHealthWINs and Round II MoManufacturingWINs TAACCCT Grants. Prior to the TAACCCT grants, Dawn Busick was the executive director of Ozarks Technical Community College.