Member Matters May 2024

Transformative Talent Pipelines
The University of Texas at Austin is contributing to a semiconductor training center, curricula, and credentialing to help transform Central Texas into a "premier hub for comprehensive workforce development that will fuel the needs of America's semiconductor industry" (The University of Texas at Austin).

Benedict College is the first four-year college to become a SC Works Connection Point. In addition to accepting unemployment filings, Connection Points offer area residents resources that aid in job searches and applications. The Benedict College Connection Point will provide free access to computers, claims support, and training and education resources (Benedict College).

Entergy leaders and mentors recently visited Southern University and A&M College to meet with participants of the Entergy Scholars Program. The program imparts students with career skills vital to success in early employment (Entergy).

Bunker Hill Community College is a founding member of the MassSkills Coalition, which is bringing together employers from various industries to improve talent recruitment and retention (BHCC).

Creative Credentials
Two new programs in manufacturing and in data analytics and artificial intelligence bring the total number of certificate programs at Community College of Vermont to 26. The certificates, most of which can be completed in under a year, prepare students for further educational or career advancement (CCV).

Wilmington University is adding an interdisciplinary care management certificate, an 18-credit, 100% online program that "offers an entry-level opportunity in patient navigation for students new to health care while also enhancing the skill sets of existing health care professionals to create a path to transition into a new role in care management" (Wilmington University).

Doing Good With Grants
Several grants are supporting adult learner-friendly initiatives at SUNY Orange. One will advance CPL opportunities at the college. Another will enable the SkillUp Orange initiative, which will feature collaboration with industry partners to help learners advance in several health care career pathways. The university also received grants in support of industrial manufacturing technician apprenticeships and tuition assistance in the college's FoodTEC program (SUNY Orange).

The Wisconsin Technical College System will use a $5.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help displaced workers access short-term manufacturing training programs (La Crosse Tribune). 

Keeping an Eye on Completion
Thanks to the addition of seven four-year degrees at Arapahoe Community College, residents of Castle Rock, Colorado, who face a 40-minute drive to the nearest university, have more feasible pathways to completion of a bachelor's degree (Arapahoe Pinnacle).

OneSpartanburg, Inc., a TGN@CAEL member, has launched Re:Degree, a program dedicated to helping adult learners who left college without a credential access pathways to completion. Re:Degree features college navigators who engage individually with adult learners on their aspirations and needs, helping them identify the best pathway to reenrollment (OneSpartanburg, Inc.). 

Re:Degree's navigators are modeled off of The Graduate! Network's approach to helping Comebackers. CAEL offers navigator training curricula that have been honed through more than a score of implementations of the Graduate! Model, data tracking adults in their journey to and through postsecondary education.

Hands-on Learning
Work has begun on Waubonsee Community College's new Technical Education Center. The center, which is scheduled to open next year, will house specialized equipment to create experiential learning opportunities for several "high-skill, high-demand, and high-wage careers in Illinois and beyond" (Waubonsee Community College).

In less than three years, around 400 adult learners have used the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Paraprofessional Pathways Program to become full-fledged teachers, a level of success that is drawing national attention to the "grow-your-own" teacher apprenticeship model (Las Vegas Sun).

Thanks to the first-ever U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship in property management, City Colleges of Chicago students will be able to accrue real-world real estate experience this fall (City Colleges of Chicago). 

Investments in Equity
Kaskaskia College recently celebrated students who completed certificates through the college's Workforce Equity Initiative (WEI). The WEI defrays tuition and course fees while also helping students access wraparound support such as child care and transportation. More than 200 students have completed WEI certificates during the program's four years (WJBD).

Several companies attended Amarillo College's Women in Industry event, which is dedicated to increasing women's access to "nontraditional technical degrees and career paths" that lead to high-paying jobs (KFDA).

In Their Own Words
The president of Bismarck State College touched on CPL, industry partnerships, and other topics during a podcast discussion about competency-based education (The TechEd Podcast).

Also by way of podcast, the president of Western Governors University shared his perspective on how favoring a focus on competency over credit hours can improve college access and economic opportunity (Harvard Business School).

The chair of the Pitt Community College board of trustees marked Community College Month by dispelling misconceptions about community colleges and highlighting the many benefits they bring to the regions they serve (Pitt Community College).

Awards and Other Achievements
Fayetteville Technical Community College and Central Carolina Community College are among the institutions receiving the North Carolina Community College System's Innovative Leadership Award, which recognizes workforce development efforts in the health care sector (FTCC).

Kennesaw State University and SUNY Orange have been recognized as Military Friendly^® institutions (Kennesaw State University and SUNY Orange).

A study shows that Southeastern Louisiana University contributes an annual economic impact to its region of more than $1 billion (Southeastern Louisiana University).

A 5.7% increase in the enrollment of "nontraditional" students contributed to record-setting spring enrollment at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UW-Green Bay).

North Carolina Central University has been recognized as one of the top HBCUs offering online degrees (NCCU).

American College of Education released its annual impact report, with highlights including 2,800+ hours of volunteer work done by more than 200 employees (American College of Education).