A growing number of U.S. companies across a range of industries are designing apprenticeship programs to give workers access to on-the-job learning opportunities that allow them to transition into in-demand jobs and careers. This discussion paper provides a snapshot of the current state of apprenticeship in the United States based on interviews…

Many adults--particularly those with just a high school education--struggle to get and keep jobs that pay enough to support their families and permit upward mobility. At the same time, some employers report difficulty finding people with the right skills to meet their needs. Programs that target in-demand industries or sectors and heavily involve…

The COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 triggered a recession and deep changes in Washington's labor market. Widespread temporary business closures, followed by a slow-paced phased reopening, have caused soaring unemployment rates. Workers are looking to improve their employability in a rapidly shifting economic landscape by reskilling into…

Community and technical colleges serve a vital function in STEM education by training workers for medium- and high-skilled technical careers and providing employers the labor necessary to operate and maintain thriving business ventures. A curriculum developed with the elements of a systems-based approach results in a program more relevant to the…

This study synthesizes lessons learned about the promising role of "career navigators" at community colleges to aid students in the transitions through disjunctures in their careers. Career navigators are student support personnel who follow students from recruitment, through their studies or training programs, to job placement. Findings…

A major economic driver, the aerospace industry contributes to exports and higher wage jobs, which the United States requires to maintain robust economic health. Despite the investment in vocational educational training programs, insufficient workers have been available to aerospace companies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the…

The Opportunity Grant (OG) program is the Washington community and technical college system's dedicated financial aid program designed to help low-income students enroll in and complete programs leading to high-wage, high-demand careers. Washington's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program is a nationally recognized model…

Washington could add as many as 110,000 new jobs by 2017 by closing skill gaps--the mismatch between the skills people have and those employers need, according to a March 2013 Washington Roundtable report. STEM professions face the most critical demand. Of the 25,000 jobs vacant for three months or more due to a shortage of qualified candidates,…

This article features the Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) which serves as the founding credential in the six states and one locality in the Career Readiness Certificate Consortium (Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C.). The Career Readiness Certificate was developed by the small consortium…

The "Fall Enrollment and Staffing Report 2014" provides a snapshot of enrollments in community and technical colleges during fall quarter 2014. The report addresses the questions most commonly raised regarding the community and technical colleges in Washington. The primary source of information for this document is the State Board for…

The "Fall Enrollment and Staffing Report 2013" provides a snapshot of enrollments in community and technical colleges during fall quarter 2013. The report addresses the questions most commonly raised regarding the community and technical colleges in Washington. The primary source of information for this document is the State Board for…

IDENTIFICATIONS WERE MADE OF THE MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGES COMMONLY USED IN OCCUPATIONS MOST READILY SUITABLE FOR NONCOLLEGE-BOUND YOUTH. TASK ITEMS FROM QUESTIONNAIRES USED IN OFFICE OCCUPATIONS, GENERAL MERCHANDISING, BUILDING TRADES, ELECTRONICS, FOOD SERVICE, CHILD CARE, AND AGRICULTURE STUDIES WERE EXAMINED FOR MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE CONTENT.…

This report represents one facet of a larger statewide higher education needs assessment that was produced by the HECB in October 2005, also in response to HB 3103. In contrast to the larger statewide assessment, which examines employer, community and student demands for education and training at the baccalaureate level and above, the following…

Results of a survey of 23 community colleges in Washington State in regard to the use of potential use of paraprofessionals in the area of guidance and counseling are provided. Of these colleges, 6 were using paraprofessionals, 1 was planning to add two, 11 planned to add paraprofessionals "when their budget allowed," and 5 reported no…

This is a report on Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' assistance of low-income adults under the state's welfare reform initiative, WorkFirst. Current and former welfare students attending community and technical colleges comprise 9% of all college student enrollments. Combining work and training leads to higher wages.…