Community colleges are playing an increasingly important role in driving workforce development by providing affordable and accessible training and education to people looking to acquire new skills or improve their existing ones.
Community colleges are an essential part of supporting workforce development by providing affordable, flexible, and industry-aligned training programs that equip students with the skills they need to succeed in the workforce.
Here are a few ways community colleges are driving workforce development:
Flexible
Community colleges offer a range of programs, from short-term certificate programs to two-year associate degrees. This flexibility allows individuals to choose a program that best fits their needs and schedule.
Affordable
Community colleges are generally more affordable than traditional four-year universities, making them an attractive option for people looking to acquire new skills or improve their existing ones.
Industry Partnerships
Many community colleges have partnerships with local businesses and industries, allowing them to create training programs that align with the specific needs of the workforce. This means that students are equipped with the skills needed to fill in-demand jobs in their communities.
Job Placement
Community colleges often have job placement programs that help students find employment after completing their programs. This can include internships, co-op programs, and job fairs.
Continuing Education
Community colleges offer continuing education programs that allow individuals to update their skills and knowledge in their field of work, ensuring that they remain competitive in the job market.
What Types of Workforce Development Can a Community College Provide?
Community colleges can provide a wide range of workforce development programs that are designed to meet the needs of local industries and businesses.
Here are some examples of the types of workforce development programs that community colleges can provide:
Healthcare
Community colleges can offer workforce education programs in areas such as nursing, medical assisting, dental assisting, and medical coding and billing.
Information Technology
Community colleges can offer workforce development programs in areas such as computer networking, cybersecurity, programming, and web development.
Skilled Trades
Community colleges can offer workforce education programs in areas such as welding, HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry.
Business
Community colleges can offer workforce education programs in areas such as accounting, marketing, management, and human resources.
Education
Community colleges can offer workforce education programs in areas such as early childhood education, teaching assistant, and special education.
Manufacturing
Community colleges can offer workforce development programs in areas such as industrial maintenance, machining, and manufacturing technology.
Public Safety
Community colleges can offer workforce education programs in areas such as criminal justice, emergency management, and firefighting.
Organizations that Support Community College Workforce Development Programs
Some associations that community colleges may work with in building their workforce development programs include:
National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3)
NC3 partners with community colleges and other educational institutions to offer industry-recognized certifications in areas such as automotive technology, welding, HVAC, and more.
National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB)
NAWB is a membership organization that represents workforce development boards and their partners. They work with community colleges and other institutions to provide training and support to individuals seeking employment.
National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE)
NCWE is an organization that supports community colleges and other workforce education providers in their efforts to prepare students for the workforce. They offer professional development opportunities, resources, and advocacy for workforce development.
Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE)
ACTE is a professional association for educators and administrators involved in career and technical education. They work with community colleges and other institutions to promote high-quality career and technical education programs and provide resources and professional development opportunities for educators.
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
AACC is a national organization that represents community colleges and their interests. They work to promote access and success for students, support workforce development initiatives, and advocate for policies that benefit community colleges and their students.
About LMS Portals
At LMS Portals, we provide our clients and partners with a SaaS-based, multi-tenant learning management system that allows you to launch a dedicated training environment (a portal) for each of your unique audiences.
We work with our community college partners to provide a powerful platform to build and deliver online training programs that include both on-demand (asynchronous) and Virtual Instructor-Led Training (synchronous) components.
We provide our partners with a complete library of ready-made courses, covering most every aspect of corporate training and employee development.
Our platform includes an embedded course authoring tool that enables most anyone to build engaging courses quickly and easily. So you can build your own courses, utilize our off-the-shelf library, or some combination of the two.
If you choose to, you can create Learning Paths to deliver courses in a logical progression and add structure to your training program.
Contact us today to get started or visit our Partner Program pages
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