Skills Gap Articles

Partnership strengthens the rural educator pipeline

Morgan Community College (MCC) and Burlington School District RE-6J are expanding a powerful rural workforce partnership designed to grow educators and strengthen Eastern Plains school communities in Colorado. Burlington now has community members and staff engaged at nearly every stage of the education pipeline, including high school students exploring teaching careers, recent graduates stepping into […]

New York college takes welding on the road

Over the last three months, Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC) has graduated three small classes of beginning welders: six Victor high schoolers, five adults in Newark, and six others at a manufacturing plant in Penn Yan. Until recently, transportation and the cost of traditional welding equipment would have made it costly and impractical to offer […]

Interprofessional learning brings students together for hands-on healthcare collaboration

Interprofessional education is a critical component of modern healthcare training. Students in San Juan College’s occupational therapy assistant (OTA) and dental hygiene programs recently experienced firsthand how collaboration strengthens clinical skills, professional confidence and teamwork. Through a hands-on learning experience, students from both programs gained a deeper understanding of how their roles intersect. This interprofessional […]

Setting up high schoolers for shipbuilding careers

Hanwha Group’s $5 billion investment in the Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc. (HPSI) means increased annual production volume and more job opportunities for skilled workers in the Philadelphia region. Now, through a unique partnership between Delaware County Community College (DCCC), Interboro High School and HPSI, 15 high school seniors are on a one-semester pathway that will […]

Paramedic program launches first-of-its-kind hospice rotation

Suffolk County Community College paramedic students have begun participating in New York State’s first hospice-specific clinical rotation at the East End Hospice Kanas Center for Hospice Care. As part of their program training, Suffolk students already complete more than 600 clinical hours in areas that overlap with emergency services, including emergency rooms, labor and delivery […]

Creating a pipeline for CNC careers

As production manager at Branch Medical Group, a medical equipment manufacturer based in Royersford, Pennsylvania, Brad Bouchard knows firsthand the demand for machinist computer numerically controlled (CNC) operators. His plant can’t hire them fast enough. “It’s very hard to find people to do that,” he said. “And in all honesty, really good operators right now, […]

New program prepares aspiring barbers still in high school

Olive-Harvey College (OHC) and City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) announced in January the launch of a new barbering program. It prepares Early College students to earn an Associate in Applied Science degree or an Advanced Certificate in barbering while gaining the technical and business skills needed to succeed in the industry both as a barber […]

Partnership between college, Army will redefine military technical training

Austin Community College District (ACC) and the U.S. Army announced recently a $16 million, 10-year Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) to scale the Army Software Factory. The partnership enhances how the military develops innovation and technical talent. What started as a pilot has become proof of concept at a national scale — demonstrating how higher education […]

New partnership in Grand Rapids connects students to in-demand careers

A new partnership between the Grand Rapids Promise Zone Authority and the Grand Rapids Chamber is opening doors for Promise Zone students to explore careers, connect with employers and prepare for the workforce. Launched in January 2026, Career Pathways expands access to career exploration, employer engagement and workforce readiness resources designed to help students align their education […]

Developing the workforce for the data center economy

A quiet but consequential shift is occurring in the United States economy. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and digital services is driving the proliferation of data centers across the nation. This growth reflects more than consumer demand or technological progress; it indicates a profound restructuring of the workforce that community colleges […]