In Detroit, employers hiring entry-level information technology workers place great value in the associate degree. In Seattle, not so much. That was one of the findings of a three-year study being conducted by researchers from the Community College Research Center and the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies.
Policymakers, higher education associations, blue-ribbon commissions, and researchers are calling for a greater focus on institutional accountability.
The recent growth in community college noncredit workforce education raises fundamental questions about whether the colleges are keeping pace with student and workforce needs, using resources efficiently in their organizational approach, and providing access to all students.
Community Colleges are being asked to provide everything from second chances to vocational education. Is America ready to help them succeed?
Yes…with fundamental internal reforms and a new vision of their role in higher education.
Breaking Through looks at whether and how community colleges can significantly improve the odds that low-income, low-skilled adults earn the college-level occupational and technical credentials necessary to achieve success.
