ERIC Number: ED522079
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jun-24
Pages: 14
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Using Community Colleges to Build a STEM-Skilled Workforce. Issue Brief
NGA Center for Best Practices
Education and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are important in a global economy increasingly focused on high-growth, technology-driven occupations. Yet, many states face a shortage of STEM-skilled students and workers. A number of states have built powerful and productive STEM education and skills strategies to address these shortages. As highlighted in this Issue Brief, community colleges can play an important role in governor-led statewide STEM initiatives. These institutions provide affordable, accessible postsecondary options. They also are often less bureaucratic, which allows them to respond to rapidly changing economic and workforce needs and meet the demands of the local labor market. Governors can exercise their leverage over community colleges to target policies and funding in ways that bolster STEM education and STEM-related workforce skill development. Specifically, governors can: (1) Engage business to help ensure that community colleges meet regional STEM-skill needs; (2) Use community colleges to support new models of STEM education; (3) Reward community colleges and students for STEM course-completion; (4) Ensure that community colleges support more effective mathematics remediation; and (5) Require that community college STEM credits and credentials are transferable and stackable. In addition to describing the need for STEM skills across states and the role community colleges can play in meeting this need, this Issue Brief highlights pockets of excellence across a number of community college STEM skill development programs. (Contains 35 endnotes.)
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Skill Development, STEM Education, Labor Force Development, Skilled Workers, College Role, Educational Needs, Labor Needs, Barriers, Financial Support, Educational Finance, Change Strategies, State Action, Educational Resources
NGA Center for Best Practices. 444 North Capitol Street Suite 267, Washington, DC 20001. Tel: 202-624-5300; Fax: 202-624-5313; Web site: http://www.nga.org/center
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Governors Association, Center for Best Practices
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A