Over its 100-year plus history the community college has struggled to make clear its mission. As a comprehensive community college its mission has bounced around to focus on liberal arts, developmental, workforce, community, and general education. In today's increasingly competitive society with shifting values and changes in power it is likely…

In order to increase the competitiveness of the workforce at low cost, the Hong Kong government brought in the idea of community colleges and the associate degree while keeping the same annual set quota of first-year, first-degree places at publicly-funded universities. At first glance, in doing so, the government could avoid expanding the sector…

The demand for improved workplace skills in the U.S. is rapidly rising, and U.S. industries, employees, and educational systems are struggling to respond. This paper describes the Skills Advantage program, an effort led by employers and facilitated by Kirkwood Community College to address regional employment needs. This work-ready certificate…

Research focusing on community college leadership programs and the needs of workforce development personnel shows that the primary knowledge and skills needed by professionals in the field include collaboration, teaching, community college context, effects of globalization, data usage, and skills related to leadership and team work. Program…

In 2004, Central Community College (CCC) established the Mechatronics Education Center (MEC), a regional center of excellence, to help the state address the shortage of skilled technicians in the area of industrial automation. The MEC addresses the needs of the current and future workforce through the implementation of its three main components:…

Three Northeast Texas community colleges put aside service delivery areas and matters of "turf" to create Centers of Excellence that provided training throughout a nine county area. This consortium; along with 14 manufacturers, seven economic development corporations, and the regional workforce board, led the change in training a highly…

The Indiana Center for the Life Sciences, an award-winning partnership between education, government, and the private sector, houses state-of-the-art science labs, classrooms, and industry training space for community college students and local employers. This innovative partnership prepares both the current and future workforce for careers in the…

Apprenticeship Carolina[TM] is a new division of the South Carolina Technical College System that has increased employer use of registered apprenticeship by 123% since July 2007. The initiative's success spans multiple industry clusters and is built through statewide collaborations that include public-private, state-local, and state-federal…

Immediately after 9/11, Burlington County College (BCC) realized that the focus of emergency preparedness must change. BCC responded by identifying community needs, developing customized simulation training using high-fidelity human patient simulators and laptop/desktop technology; developing partnerships, and securing outside funding. Over 8,500…

This article describes how Virginia responded to employer needs and created a blue print for the establishment of a demand driven workforce-credentialing system. This system serves the needs of job seekers and the competency-certification needs of hiring authorities. This is a true quality of life and economic development movement.

Through partnerships with four other state agencies, the LifeTech Institute was designed to provide life skills and technical workforce skills to male parolees. The purpose was to alleviate prison overcrowding, reduce recidivism rates, and prepare a trained workforce to supplement the demanding workforce needs of the state's construction industry.…

Maui's unique geographic location, culture, economy, and ecology provide a year-round sustainable living laboratory for the development of sustainable solutions to local and global challenges. Maui Community College's mission, goals, and actions are guided by the Native Hawaiian reverence for the ahupuaa, the traditional land management practice…

Community colleges are recognized by business and industry as the prime provider of career and technology education. This recognition has been earned by the strong links formed between these entities and the responsiveness of community/junior colleges to workforce needs. An important consideration in maintaining this preferred provider status is…

The Gulf Coast Petrochemical Information Network (GC-PIN) is a workforce development partnership among industry businesses and area institutions of higher education in the four-county Gulf Coast region. GC-PIN partners develop new industry-specific curricula, foster industry career awareness, and retrain existing employees in new technologies.

Educational, industry, and state leaders worked together to design a program to meet the training needs of Nebraska's fast-growing ethanol industry. The statewide initiative, guided by Northeast Community College and funded through the President's Community-Based Job Training Grants program, is developing dual-credit, short-term training that…