Skills Gap Articles

Tailoring Programs to Employees Needs

Within the past 15 years, the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) has seen 35 new and existing businesses drop more than $1 million in capital investments into the region, generating 5,000 jobs. For each employer considering an expansion in the region, CSI — which houses the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization — has been at […]

Creating a Sustainable Program for the Region

In Kalamazoo, Michigan, craft brewing is rapidly expanding with businesses focusing on traditional brewing, distribution, bottling and growing hops. Now, with the help of industry partners as well as other higher-education institutions, colleges are helping to prepare skilled workers who know the ins and outs of the craft-brewing sector. At Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), […]

Staying Agile With Workforce Training

Sinclair Community College, which in January became the nation’s only community college to join the Federal Aviation Administration’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, was an early adopter of unmanned-aircraft technology among its peers, says Deborah Norris, vice president of workforce development and corporate services at the college. The move got underway following a 2008 […]

Data Matters: Community Colleges and STEM Jobs

STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) jobs are expected to grow more rapidly than any other occupation in the United States. By 2022, 9 million jobs are projected, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. STEM jobs generally pay more, on average, than non-STEM jobs. While many of these jobs require graduate degrees, community […]

Meeting Demand of a Growing Field

Prospects for would-be pharmacy technicians are good — better than average — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth between 2014 and 2024 is expected to reach 9 percent, equaling 34,700 new positions over that time period. In 2005, CVS Health was the first employer to launch a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) […]

Workforce Development Continues in South Carolina

With just more than 6,500 students, Tri-County Technical College (TCTC), in South Carolina, is a relatively small community college, but it’s having an impact on pathway programs that lead students to higher education and careers while supporting the community’s workforce. “It’s our desire for every student to have a transformative student experience,” says Ronnie L. […]

College’s Welding School Promotes Work-Based Learning

Lake Land College (LLC), in Mattoon, Illinois, recently created a welding school to promote work-based learning to its Accelerating Opportunity (AO) students. The AO program, which is run in conjunction with Jobs for the Future, is a one-semester program designed to get students qualified and into the workforce as quickly as possible. Each welding cohort […]

California System Adopts Workforce Recommendations

The leaders of the California Community Colleges system have adopted a set of 25 recommendations to help fill the state’s need for an estimated 1 million more credentialed workers within the next decade. Last month, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations of the California Task Force on Workforce, […]

Apprenticeship Program Celebrates 20 Years of Success

Apprenticeships have been getting more and more national buzz in recent years. In his 2014 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for increased apprenticeships and training programs. The U.S. Department of Labor followed up in 2015 and awarded $175 million in grant money through the American Apprenticeship Initiative, a move that allows […]

Federal Grants Support Healthcare Training for Low-Income Students

Editor’s Note: This excerpted article, written by Ellie Ashford, originally appeared at Community College Daily. People who depend on public assistance need training so they can find jobs that pay enough to support a family. Hospitals and other healthcare providers need qualified employees. Community colleges can provide the training, but many lower-income people can’t financially afford to take advantage of […]