Action Plan
OBJECTIVES:
1.1 Maximize student access, retention, and success
1.2 Improve student career pathway completion
ACTIONS:
- Expand postsecondary access by increasing the availability of in-demand credit and non-credit workforce programs aligned to emerging and evolving labor market needs
- Operationalize the Career Development Framework to deliver intentional career development
experiences across the full collegiate lifecycle, from initial career exploration
through completion and post-graduation engagement. This includes:
- Implement the KCTCS Career Roadmap: Explore, Engage, Experience, and Elevate
- Establish a Career Leaders peer team
- Complete annually the college Career Development Maturity Model
- Provide early career and educational exploration opportunities
- Create high school-to-college dual credit pathways
- Standardize admission processes and provide new student orientation
- Provide aptitude/interest assessments to assist with career selection
- Ensure students engage in program/credential goal selection with well-defined career and transfer degree maps with sequenced coursework
- Ensure colleges have required proactive academic advising each semester
- Provide students with an introduction to work-based learning opportunities (service learning, work and learn, internships, clinicals, etc.)
- Provide integrated wrap-around support services, including financial literacy and a modernized early alert system using predictive analytics to support at-risk students
- Offer job placement and university transfer support
- Engage graduates through alumni activities and customized industry training
LEADING INDICATORS:
- Unduplicated Fall credit enrollment by industry sector
- Unduplicated Fall non-credit enrollment by industry sector
- Credential-seeking in-semester retention
- Number of colleges annually completing College Career Development Maturity Model
OBJECTIVES:
2.1 Leverage employer engagement to support student and program success
2.2 Align KCTCS programs with Kentucky’s workforce needs
2.3 Grow new workforce training programs
ACTIONS:
- Improve graduate employability and economic outcomes by partnering with employers
to co-design curriculum that expand credit and non-credit offerings:
- Aligned to emerging labor market needs
- Increase access to work-based learning
- Embed industry-defined 10 Essential Skills and artificial intelligence competencies across all programs
- Implement a data-driven approach to track employer engagement and graduate employment outcomes, using insights to continuously improve program alignment and workforce results
LEADING INDICATORS:
- Number of employers in External Engagement Index
- Number of employers engaged in curriculum and program feedback
- Number of new credit and non-credit market-driven offerings developed annually
- Post-KCTCS employment outcomes (2-quarters and 3-years post-graduation)
OBJECTIVES:
3.1 Optimize institutional efficiency and resource utilization
3.2 Strengthen employee recruitment, engagement, and retention
ACTIONS:
- Adopt a data-informed budgeting approach that aligns resource allocation with KCTCS strategic priorities
- Establish a comprehensive systemwide data governance and artificial intelligence strategy
that:
- Supports continuous improvement in student learning outcomes
- Standardizes data input practices
- Creates operational efficiencies
- Enhances reporting and analytics for decision-making
- Design and implement a structured onboarding experience to equip new employees for early success, fosters engagement, and improves retention across KCTCS
- Expand leadership and supervisor training opportunities to:
- Improve organizational performance
- Enhance employee effectiveness
- Ensure KCTCS has the management capacity needed to deliver strong student and workforce outcomes
LEADING INDICATORS:
- Percentage of KCTCS employees completing artificial intelligence training
- Six-month and one-year new employee retention rates
- New employee and all employee survey feedback
- Processes standardized since July 1, 2026
