Case Study

San Diego-Imperial Regional Consortium — 
Software Development Curriculum Alignment

Community colleges in the San Diego–Imperial region noted that while many students were enrolling in software development / ICT (Information & Communication Technology) programs, outcomes such as job‐placement rates, completions, and retention were lower than desired. Employers were signaling that graduates lacked alignment with what the workplace needed in terms of technical skills, stackable credentials, and employable competences.

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Background

Community colleges in the San Diego–Imperial region noted that while many students were enrolling in software development / ICT (Information & Communication Technology) programs, outcomes such as job‐placement rates, completions, and retention were lower than desired. Employers were signaling that graduates lacked alignment with what the workplace needed in terms of technical skills, stackable credentials, and employable competences.

Intervention / Curriculum Alignment Strategy:

  • The region initiated a Software Development Curriculum Alignment Project to bring college curricula into closer correspondence with employer requirements.
  • Key components included:
  • Creating an inventory of all software development / ICT courses across the participating colleges.
  • Identifying and removing redundancies, updating course content to match employer-defined knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), embedding employability / 21st-century skills, and designing stackable credentials.
  • Embedding work-based learning / paid internships. Some colleges were designated preferred providers for internships, allowing students access to work opportunities.
  • Using disaggregated data (e.g. by student demographics) to monitor retention, completion, and employment outcomes for equity.

Outcomes / Impacts To Date:

  • Curricula became more tightly aligned with employer-expected skills, reducing mismatch.
  • Students in updated programs are better positioned for internships and employment, thanks to connections with preferred provider status.

Lessons Learned:

  • Employer input is crucial for defining the KSAs that curricula need to deliver.
  • Stackable credentials help students move in “bite-sized” steps toward higher qualifications, which can help with retention and accessibility.

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