America is finally realizing what community colleges have been doing all along

“Employers continue to be concerned that recent college graduates are unprepared for today’s workplace. A recent survey conducted by Lumina Foundation and Gallup found that a little more than half of employers say American colleges and universities are producing students with the skills they’re seeking. Even more worrisome, nearly 70% of employers say recent college graduates need at least a moderate amount of additional training after they’re hired so they can succeed in their new job. Another recent survey from the National Association of College and Employers found that while employers put a premium on communication, critical thinking and professionalism, they believe about half of new college grads are lacking these crucial workplace skills. As companies voice growing frustration that traditional degree programs are failing to not produce enough job-ready talent, another type of institution has long delivered results from the margins: community colleges. Made to order Two-year colleges are uniquely positioned to help fill these talent gap. Their programs are built around in-demand skills, employer partnerships and alignment with industry needs — all in service of producing talent ready for real jobs. They stand ready to become the partner of choice in developing the next generation of skilled workers if employers and policymakers are willing to meet them halfway. Community colleges are accessible, affordable and hyper-focused on ensuring their graduates find employment. Today, these institutions enroll about 6.5 million students , or roughly 40% of the nation’s undergraduates. For these learners and their communities, two-year colleges already quietly serve as vital workforce engines. For example, the City Colleges of Chicago system, where I recently served as executive vice chancellor and chief student experience officer, focuses many of its campuses on specific industry sectors. These institutions design associate degree and career certificate programs, apprenticeships and employer partnerships that guide students into in-demand local jobs. At the Dawson Technical Institute at Kennedy-King College , students can complete an apprenticeship and certificate track in construction and utility trades. At Olive-Harvey College , a new building dedicated to transportation, distribution and logistics supports programs aimed at filling the region’s more than 100,000 open TDL jobs. Daley College ’s advanced manufacturing programs connect learners directly to well-paying jobs in a sector hungry for talent. Non-profit and employer partners Community colleges across the country have partnered with Education Design Lab to reimagine their missions to better serve the needs of present-day learners and employers. These efforts focus on creating stackable credentials, designing applied learning opportunities and strengthening student supports. All of this is happening even as many community colleges are grappling with lean staffing, limited budgets and few resources relative to the breadth of their mission. As academic programs become more closely aligned with industry needs, nonprofit organizations increasingly serve as intermediaries between community colleges and employers, helping translate education into workforce opportunity. Organizations like One Million Degrees (OMD), which I now lead, acts as a bridge by supporting career development and durable training that prepare students for work-based learning and employment. At City Colleges of Chicago, for instance, OMD supports a six-week pre-internship program that prepares and screens students for internship placements with a range of public- and private-sector employers. Employers can help by investing more directly in community college talent pipelines by co-designing curriculum, expanding paid work-based learning opportunities and hiring directly from two-year programs. The technology giant Siemens recently announced plans for a new national initiative to expand access into in-demand, high-paying electrical careers. Working with Wake Technical Community College and other partners in North Carolina, Careers Electric aims to prepare 25,000 people in 10 years for employment in energy, healthcare manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. Similarly, the Volkswagen Group of America has partnered with Chattanooga State Community College in Tennessee to create an academy that combines classroom work with paid hands-on training on-site at a local plant. Policymakers’ role To better align employer needs with student aspirations, policymakers should advance strategies that more effectively connect education and the workforce. This includes supporting community colleges as they expand high-wage, high-demand programs. It also includes encouraging the growth of paid internships and work-based learning opportunities through incentives for colleges and employer partners, particularly given strong evidence that such experiences predict career success, especially early on. Finally, policymakers should invest in intermediaries that help colleges and employers align hiring needs with student preparation. When community colleges are fully recognized and funded as a vital backbone of our talent ecosystem, the result is a win for the workforce and the entire economy. Embracing the rich potential of community college talent and institutions is an economic imperative. As the country seeks to build a stronger economy, a powerful workforce engine is already running. It’s time to fuel it. The post America is finally realizing what community colleges have been doing all along first appeared on Community College Daily .

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