KCKCC faculty member receives leadership award

Donna Shawn (KCKCC photo)
Donna Shawn (KCKCC photo)

by Kelly Rogge

One Kansas City Kansas Community College faculty member is being recognized for her work in promoting workforce education.

Donna Shawn, director of technical education at the Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center, received a Leadership Award from the Kansas Council for Workforce Education in November. The award recognizes individuals who have developed programs and provided leadership that advances the visibility of career and technical education within the state of Kansas and beyond.

“The receipt of the Kansas Council for Workforce Education Leadership Award was quite a surprise. I did not know that my name had been submitted until they told me to be sure to attend the awards ceremony,” said Shawn, who has served as regional director, president elect, president and past president of the council. “Technical education has recently received a renewed focus. After many years of steering kids to the college for all movement, many vocational/technical education courses have been removed from high school course offerings. There is renewed interest in technical education and Kansas Senate Bill 155 has provided opportunities for high school students to enroll in postsecondary tiered technical courses tuition-free.”

The KCWE is an affiliate of the National Council of Workforce Education and the American Association of Community Colleges. The goal of the council is to promote professional development opportunities for postsecondary career and technical education faculty as well as administrators. The council presents awards each year in several categories to recognize outstanding leaders in the state of Kansas.

Before entering her current role at KCKCC-TEC, Shawn served as a supervisor at the Kansas City, Kan., Area Technical School before it merged with KCKCC in 2008. She was also a career and technical education resource specialist for the Shawnee Mission School District and was the business education director at Wichita Area Technical College. She has a bachelor of science in business education from Emporia State University, a master of science in adult and occupational education from Kansas State University and an educational specialist in educational administration from Wichita State University.

“Our goal is to create a better future for students by preparing them for the workforce through hands-on training in conjunction with our business partners and to develop a lifelong commitment to learning new skills,” she said. “Women are also encouraged to take advantage of these high-paying occupations so that they, too, can support their families and themselves with a living wage. Many of these occupations allow individuals to start their own business.”

Shawn said many industries are desperate for highly skilled technicians. In fact, she said, the manufacturing industry is just one of the sectors that is facing a skill gap shortage.

“This is an industry that provides high-skill, high-wage, high-demand jobs that need a one-year certificate or a two-year degree,” she said. “As the baby boomer retirements kick into high gear – machinists, welders, electricians, HVAC technicians and more skilled professions are begging for replacements. KCKCC-TEC has participated in the national Manufacturing Day movement to introduce high school students to the career opportunities in manufacturing and the training opportunities provided by the college.”

Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.