As New England prepares for growth in the advanced manufacturing sector, some companies with an existing stronghold in industries like aerospace, navigation and precision machining struggle to find skilled workers. Advanced to Advantageous: The Case for New England’s Manufacturing Revolution, an April 2015 report by The New England Council and Deloitte Consulting LLP, says that, […]

Salt Lake Community College’s four-year apprenticeship programs in fields such as plumbing- and electrical-technology are growing, with benefits to both students and local employers. While this growth is largely a function of the economic recovery, trades program manager Ralph Tasker’s relentless promotion of these programs also has been key. Aiming to fill a widening skills […]

When Ivy Tech Corporate College wanted to know how it could better meet the skills needs of manufacturers in southern Indiana and around metro Louisville, Kentucky, the college teamed up with workforce-development board WorkOne to build an online survey of local employers. “Rather than dictating to the market, or listening to only a handful of […]

Global corporations are looking to community colleges to help train employees in the United States. One example is the work being done at Chattanooga State Community College, in Tennessee, in partnership with Volkswagen. The three-year program that train students to use specific Volkswagen operating procedures are reporting success, with 25 graduates already, and two classes […]

A new international comparative study shows that America’s approach to education reveals major contradictions: high expenditure and high levels of education, but low average performance. The United States consistently ranks low compared to other countries when it comes to literacy, numeracy and problem-solving in technology-rich environments. America’s Skills Challenge: Millennials and the Future, published by […]

North Carolina, once home to a traditional economy based on tobacco, furniture and textiles, is stepping up its game and preparing to become a regional hot spot for a new global economy, requiring new kinds of workers — and community colleges are teaming up to help. To keep pace with the need for skilled workers […]

In response to a growing need for skilled employees in a burgeoning industry, San Jacinto Community College, in Houston, Texas, is building a 45,000-square-foot, high-tech maritime technology and training center and expanding its educational program. With classes expected to start in 2016, the new facility is the result of a productive partnership forged between the […]

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is laying out goals for the state, and as part of his plan, community colleges are getting a bit of attention. In his State of the State address, the governor challenged Michigan community colleges to step up their game to prepare future employees for skilled-labor jobs and facilitate the transition from […]

If enacted, President Barack Obama’s free community college proposal could make higher education a reality for many more students in this country. Another added benefit: It has great potential to close the U.S. skills gap. Community colleges will be essential in educating the workers who will take the current 26 percent of jobs that require […]

Due to declining enrollments nationwide, many community colleges are scaling back programs and making difficult cuts. Both the budget and the student body at North Carolina’s Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) have shrunk over the last few years. But not the physical size and scope of the college. Construction has been a constant at GTCC over […]