Skills Gap Articles

Advancing racial equity in manufacturing

Thirteen community colleges have been selected to join a national project that aims to advance a racially inclusive future for manufacturing. The Century Foundation (TCF) and the Urban Manufacturing Alliance are leading the project that is focused on building ecosystems and increasing racial equity in the manufacturing sector. The project, funded by Lumina Foundation, brings […]

Training that evolves with workplace needs

As dean of business and industry at Jackson State Community College in Jackson, Tennessee, Terri Messer has worked for many years to provide specialized training to students who want to work for local companies. And she keeps a close eye out for potential opportunities. Jackson State’s Advanced Maintenance Technician Co-op evolved as an industry education […]

Brewing up something good

Texas brewers, from craft to industrial, are having difficulty finding trained employees to make beer. Steve DeShazo, senior director of workforce and career connected learning at Dallas College, says that, for about a year, he’s been fielding requests from craft brewers eager to hire trained workers. In response, new Dallas College Brewer program sessions are […]

A magnet for manufacturers

Community colleges have long worked with local companies to fulfill their workforce training needs. Now the colleges’ role has moved up to the next level, as they help persuade companies to locate new large-scale, high-tech manufacturing plants near them. “We used to be looked to for preparing job seekers,” said Joe Schaffer, president of Laramie […]

Innovative training in Alabama

Short-term training in Alabama is now easier to access. The Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Innovation Center this week launched its first of several industry-designed programs to help students find immediate employment. The Innovation Center, a $10 million investment, will allow students to start short-term training classes anywhere in the state and finish with an […]

Tapping into drone technology

In remote areas of south Florida, experts believe there are 300,000 Burmese pythons, massive invasive visitors that are as long as a small car and have wiped out all but a few of the other animals in the areas they inhabit. They are now beginning to consume alligators. In rural New Jersey 1,300 miles away, […]

A talent pipeline for the gaming industry

Apprenticeship programs have, until recently, been primarily reserved for the trade industries, such as construction and manufacturing. A new program at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is proving that other industries can benefit from the apprenticeship model. Schell Games, the largest full-service educational and entertainment game development company in the United States, has just […]

Getting a fresh restart

More older students are starting or restarting their education at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), with enrollment for ages 30 and older 14% above pre-pandemic levels, as adult learners take advantage of state tuition-free programs. Enrollment for all students this semester is 1.1% above the Winter 2021 semester, with 11,442 people enrolled in credit-seeking programs. The […]

Closing the gender gap in mechatronics

Men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college. Gender gaps are exceptionally and needlessly high in some of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs like mechatronics, robotics, cyber defense, math and health sciences. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project statistics, women represent only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). As […]

Building an oasis in a childcare desert

Jefferson Community College (JCC) launched the North Country Regulated Home Day Care Training Bootcamp in June 2021 to meet the demand for trained childcare workers in its community. The first cohort of participants – 20 residents from the region – took part in early childhood development and small business workshops and received mentorship to gain […]