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QEP: QEP Executive Summary

Full QEP

Executive Summary

Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) is a two-year community and technical college located in Ashland, Kentucky (population 21,038), serving the rural tristate region of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia since 1938.  As a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), ACTC offers 15 associate degree programs, 23 diploma programs, and 125 certificate programs, providing quality education in technical programs, transfer degrees, and workforce training that meets the needs of both students and businesses throughout the tristate region.  ACTC’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), “Improving Career Readiness through Student Engagement” proposes to improve student career readiness through student engagement in the following areas:  career research, active and collaborative learning opportunities in the classroom, and career/soft skills practice.  The goal of the QEP, “Students will develop career knowledge and demonstrate enhancement of workplace skills” is supported by two Student Learning Outcomes (SLO): Students will (1) identify and summarize knowledge of their chosen career path; and (2) recognize and demonstrate career/soft skills.  The specific career/soft skills targeted in this QEP are collaboration and communication.  As a part of the QEP, active and collaborative learning will be measured in targeted redesigned courses across the curriculum.  Opportunities to practice career/soft skills will differ for students due to the varied nature of program requirements.  The career/soft skills include feedback on resumes and cover letters, mock interviews, and internship-like experiences, allowing students to gain first-hand knowledge of the skills employers seek.  Providing students with “real world” experiences before they matriculate into the workforce better prepares students for successful transition from college to career.