Nearly a decade ago officials at New Jersey's 19 community colleges sought a way for the state's two-year career and technical college system to work together to more efficiently serve the workforce development needs of the state. The goal was to say to businesses, "If you have a training need, we can help by delivering the…

During a speech to community college administrators in October, President Barack Obama recognized two-year colleges as the "unsung heroes" that provide opportunities to those who otherwise would be unable to enter higher education. Community colleges, he said, play an important role in reviving the economy and putting Americans back to…

In these challenging times of cutbacks in public funding for social services programs, parents and grass roots organizations continue to make a difference in their communities with innovative initiatives that are enhancing the lives of people with developmental and physical disabilities. In New York, a track team of speedsters with disabilities is…

In Essex County, New Jersey, whose county seat is Newark, students have the option of attending one of four vocational high schools. The Essex County Vocational School District draws students from the county seeking instruction in a multitude of career and technical areas. North 13th Street Technical School is one of the four vocational options.…

The Performance Assessment Review system links training to employee performance and development. The system forces supervisors to specify training to remedy individual employee needs. Through the aggregation of data, the system also provides a tool for the assessment of broad training needs across agencies and job classes. (Author/CH)

Commitment to community is the cornerstone of the community college mission. Community colleges were created to serve the needs of their local communities, and that commitment to community continues to be a very good thing at community colleges throughout the country. But when commitment to community is so strong that colleges become too…

Bergen Community College, Middlesex County College, and Union County College are setting up (1) counseling programs to help welfare recipients determine their job interests and skills, (2) job-training courses, and (3) day-care centers for participants children. (MLW)