Changing Verizon ... by degrees – an Overview

The Next Step Program (NSP) came about as a result of a negotiated agreement between Verizon (then NYNEX) and its craft unions, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), in August 1994. Under the terms of the agreement, employees who meet the Program entry requirements attend college classes one day per week taking courses that lead to an A.A.S. degree in Telecommunications Technology. After extensive discussions and evaluation of responses to a Program request for proposal, the company and its partner unions decided that the community college systems in New York (NY) and New England (NE) offered the geographical reach and program flexibility to deliver a consistent program across the corporate foot print. To lead the academic effort, Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy, NY and Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) in Springfield, MA were chosen as lead colleges in NY and NE respectively.

Major impetus for the agreement came from the top leadership of the company and the unions. That support evolved from a strategic vision that foresaw intense competition in the telecommunications industry resulting from deregulation, globalization of the economy, and rapid technological advancement. To be successful in this new environment, company technicians would need to be technologically competent, be lifelong learners capable of learning new technologies on their own, and be responsive to customer demands. Verizon had conducted a variety of in-house interviews and surveys to provide guidance for the development of the NSP. These activities led to the conclusion that NSP should be a technical, as opposed to a management, program and that the workplace skills of teamwork, leadership, quality focus, customer focus, critical thinking, problem solving, and technology delivery were as important as specific course content. These workplace skills later became known as the Umbrella Competencies and they are an integral part of every course in the curriculum.

In addition to content, the company and unions also provided guidance related to the pedagogical aspects of the Program based upon their own extensive experience training adult learners. Specifically, a contextually focused, competency based Program set in a student centered, active learning environment had proven to be successful with the type of audience expected for NSP. In addition, since students would attend classes one day per week, they would not have the on-campus interactions of other students nor would they be able to readily access college learning assistance facilities. It was decided to purchase laptop computers for each student to help overcome some of these time and place limitations and to extend the learning environment beyond the classroom. With the basic aspects of Program content and methods of delivery in place, the stage was set for the development of a leading edge academic program that would match the expectations of the company and union leadership that originally envisioned the Program.

It became evident early on that close communication among the company, unions and academic community was necessary for the development of program, policies and procedures that would stand the test of time. That intense level of communication has proven to be effective and has become a way of life in the day-to-day operation of the Program.

Colleges in NY and NE selected to participate in the Program accepted the foundation principles outlined above and agreed to a curriculum development process that would involve all stakeholders in the Program. Current arrangements call for a Curriculum Leader for each academic discipline area. Curriculum decisions are jointly made by faculty from each of the participating colleges with input from Verizon management, CWA and IBEW leadership, students and technical experts. The process involves special curriculum meetings as necessary, discipline meetings at the annual Faculty Institute, and electronic communications. Crucial is the commitment by each college to follow the decisions made by the various curriculum groups so that a consistent Program exists across the footprint. The curriculum development process has resulted in an extraordinary degree of collaboration among Company, Unions, and Academia that is unique in our experience and which could act as a model for other program development efforts.

The benefits of the Program to students, company, and faculty have been enormous. Each year at the annual Faculty Institute we hear of innovative practices that have been brought to the workplace by students and graduates. Over the twelve years of the Program, faculty from 25 community colleges across NE and NY have met and worked together in a way that few would have dreamed possible. Personal benefits are beyond categorizing. All who are and have been involved in the Program share a justifiable pride in the Program and its accomplishments and in those of our students and graduates. The Next Step Program is a worthy outcome to the vision of the company and union leadership that foresaw the strategic forces that made NSP necessary.