The COVID-19 pandemic created a historic, global disruption in the labor market. In the short term, the labor force participation rate dropped precipitously as workers were laid off or furloughed, especially in sectors that were most affected by social distancing protocols, such as hospitality, travel and leisure, and retail (Lund et al., 2021).…

Police training programs at community colleges are a vital cog in ensuring that local law enforcement agencies have a steady supply of recruits who have not only the weapons training, legal knowledge and other traditional skills but also professional skills like critical thinking, in an age when police behavior has come under focused public…

This research explores how COVID has impacted technology internships, including student and employer participation, satisfaction, and challenges; changes in the structure of internships; and impact on student employment outcomes. The roots of this study emerged in summer of 2021, as the authors were completing a three-year study funded by the…

This research is about how one community college preserved and strengthened their technology internships during COVID with commitment and creativity. Although the college, employers, and students faced technical, logistical, and supervisory challenges in maintaining technology internships through the pandemic, the college was committed to ensuring…

Employers in every sector have emphasized the need for a well-rounded, highly skilled workforce. Recent survey data indicates that over 90% of business leaders think American workers are not as skilled as they need to be. 1 According to the Business Roundtable, CEOs around the country have noticed a particular gap in "employability…

This study describes the results of a survey administered to alumni of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship's (NFTE) education programs. These programs aim to improve the entrepreneurship knowledge and skills of middle and high school students in under-resourced communities throughout the United States. The study was designed to gather…

The skills gap--the disparity between job openings and job seekers in an employment category--is wider in some sectors and parts of the country than others. The disconnect between community colleges and employers perpetuates the skills gap. Despite the current push among educators, politicians, and employers to increase completion rates, that…

This report describes a study conducted by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Task Force on the Work of the Future to understand how community colleges are adapting their workforce programs to changing skill demands, diversifying pathways to certificates and degrees, and grappling with…

This report examines how technology and automation are changing the job market -- and what states can do to prepare adults for the new workplace. It analyzes shifts from low- to middle-skills jobs, details current education levels, and offers recommendations for retooling adult education programs.

Career and technical education (CTE) has been at the forefront of engagement, change, motivation, and high school reform since the early 20th century. However, the focus on tracking students into 4-year universities has significantly reduced the number of quality CTE programs that exist within the high school setting. With the release of the new…

America and the South seem to have turned a corner on the deep and prolonged recession that started in 2008. The stranglehold it has had on jobs and job prospects caught many by surprise, and it has caused education leaders to refocus state policy on the relationship between career preparation and education. This report provides updates on the…

Career and technical education (CTE) programs play a vital role in preparing high school students for life after graduation. The Carl D. Perkins Act of 2006 (Perkins) requires states that receive federal CTE funding to align secondary and postsecondary programs, so that students can transition seamlessly from a high school CTE program to a…

In an effort to support college conversations regarding strengthening the role of part-time faculty, this brief document presents the job description for a Valencia College part-time/adjunct professor (revised as of July 19, 2013). The description includes essential functions, qualifications, and knowledge, skills, and abilities. This is followed…

Financial aid counselors are a primary source of information that many students rely upon to understand financial aid and how to pay for college. However, little is known about financial aid counselors at America's community colleges and their interactions with the students they serve. Using original survey data, this study examined the role these…

The U.S. economy will emerge from the Great Recession radically transformed from what it was a generation ago. Changes are afoot affecting which occupations and industry sectors will produce employment growth, as well as what education credentials, competencies, and skills will be required to do those jobs. Community colleges already take steps to…