In May of this year, seven U.S. states recorded all-time lows in unemployment. Colorado led the list, with an unemployment rate of just 2.3 percent. Unsurprisingly in today’s tight labor market, employers share a common refrain: the jobs are there, but the skills aren’t. Open positions sit unfilled as hiring managers struggle to find qualified […]

As vehicles get more technologically advanced, educating automotive technicians can become trickier. Many community colleges have automotive programs, but getting current equipment for hands-on training is expensive. Partnerships with companies and dealerships are becoming necessary in order to ensure students are getting the right training for the workforce. Oregon’s Clackamas Community College (CCC) recently announced […]

The newly renovated Applied Technology and Trades Center at Aims Community College in Colorado integrates learning into the actual walls of the building. The architects created a cut-away design so wiring, plumbing and mechanical systems inside the walls are visible behind glass. Part of the ceiling is open, too. Signage throughout the building explains the […]

National Manufacturing Day is all about celebrating manufacturing and inspiring future manufacturers. A number of community colleges opened their doors to the community to show off their training facilities, get people interested in careers in manufacturing, and spotlight their partnerships with local industry. Wisconsin’s Blackhawk Technical College (BTC), partnering with Rock County 5.0, the School […]

When Ohio in late June became the latest state to let community colleges award four-year degrees, Clark State Community College President Jo Alice Blondin was ecstatic. Local employers had been telling Blondin’s institution for years that they needed workers with applied bachelor’s degrees in manufacturing technology management. As state lawmakers were considering whether to give […]

U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta on Monday joined Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) where they discussed the importance of apprenticeships before touring the college’s healthcare training facilities. The visit comes as part of a series of tours that Snyder and Acosta are conducting focused on manufacturing and medical apprenticeships. “Michigan […]

Apprenticeship programs jointly developed by community colleges and businesses – and scaled up on a nationwide basis – could go a long way toward closing the nation’s skills gap, according to U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta. “Our job is to ensure America’s workforce is prepared to meet the demands of a global and ever-changing economy,” […]

It’s been the summer of apprenticeships. They’ve been the focus of congressional committee hearings and White House executive orders. Earlier this week, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited Grand Rapids Community College (Michigan) to learn more about apprenticeships and the skilled trades. The House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee last week heard from companies and […]