Degree Name

EdD (Doctor of Education)

Program

Educational Leadership

Date of Award

12-2018

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Don Good

Committee Members

Bethany Flora, Jeff Howard, James Lampley

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a significant difference in WorkKeys score, skills score, theory score, and job placement rates as compared by credential and program of study at a technical college in Tennessee. The study used data retrieved from a WorkKeys database and SIMS (Student Information Management System) at a technical college. The population consisted of 445 students in seven programs from 2010-2016 who had participated in the WorkKeys online academic training modules.

The dependent variables for the study were WorkKeys score, skill score, and theory score. The independent variables were job placement status (related, non-related, not placed), program of study (Collision Repair/Motorcycle Repair, Computer Information, Welding/Machine Tool and Industrial Maintenance/Residential Maintenance), and graduation credential (diploma, certificate, none).

Based on the data collected, it was found that there was a significant difference in the WorkKeys score by credential, skill score by credential, theory score by credential, WorkKeys score by job placement status, skill score by job placement status and theory score by job placement status. The job placement status was significantly affected by the program of study. Finally, the WorkKeys score was not affected by the program of study. Additionally, the not placed status for the Computer Information program was higher than the other two categories (related and non-related) whereas the related status was the highest for the other three programs of study (WEL/MT, CRT/MOT, and IM/RBM).

Document Type

Dissertation - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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