Education Aligned with Industry

Jackson College expands competency-based learning

Employers don’t hire résumés — they hire skills. Jackson College is expanding competency-based education (CBE) to better serve students and meet workforce needs.

WHAT IS COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION?

CBE lets students learn at their own pace and focuses on real skills needed on the job. When students can demonstrate mastery through an assessment, they move on. Once all competencies for a course are mastered, the course is complete. At JC, CBE programs are known as JetFlex.

WHAT IS COMPETENCY?

A competency is a clearly defined skill, ability, or knowledge area a student must demonstrate to perform effectively in real-world settings.

HOW IS CBE DIFFERENT?

Traditional education measures time spent in class. CBE measures what students can do. Employers value theory, but they value applied skills even more.

Example: Competency: “Safely administer medication.” Mastery includes dosage calculations, safety protocols, communication, and technical skill.

PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

Jackson College’s online medical coder-biller program has used CBE for six years. A production technician certificate is also competency-based. More programs, including business administration, are in development.

“These programs are more flexible and validated by industry partners,” said Jamie Vandenburgh, former Dean of Workforce, Technical and Professional Education.

Instructor Mary Douglas adds, “We love what we do, and it shows. Our commitment to each student makes this program successful.”