Strong Workforce Star for Innovative, Career Technical Education Programs Advance Economic and Social Mobility for Students
Cabrillo College today announces that several of its Career Technical Education programs recently earned the California Community College’s Strong Workforce Stars recognition at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels, for success in improving student employment and wage outcomes.
Cabrillo’s Career Technical Education programs earing Strong Workforce awards:
Gold Stars — Accounting, Associate Degree in Nursing, and Dental Hygiene
Silver Stars — Construction and Energy Management, Horticulture and Crop Production, Human Services, and Radiologic Technology
Bronze Stars — Administration of Justice, Children’s Literacy, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Engineering Technology and Fire Technology
Strong Workforce Stars is an annual recognition for career education programs within the California Community Colleges system whose graduates show significant gains in factors important for advancing social mobility — a substantial increase in earnings, attainment of a living wage and a job closely matched with the field of study.
“We are incredibly proud of our Strong Workforce Stars,” said Dr. Kathleen Welch, Cabrillo College Vice President of Instruction. “Our program faculty work very hard to create learning environments that not only promote student growth and learning, but also that prepare students for success in the real world. As evidenced by these awards, they’ve achieved that, and in our area where the cost of living is high, achieving these milestones is particularly impressive!”
Those named Strong Workforce Stars met one or more of the following thresholds:
- An increase in earnings by 50 percent or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2015-16.
- Attainment of the regional living wage by 70 percent or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2015-16.
- 90 percent or more are employed in a job similar to their field of study, according to the Career Technical Education Outcomes Survey, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2014-15.
Bronze Stars programs met one or more thresholds; Silver Stars met two; and Gold Stars met all three.
Cabrillo College’s Accounting program achieved a Gold Star because students boost their earnings by 62%, 73% attained the regional living wage, and 91% secured a job closely related to their field of study.
Cabrillo College’s Associate Degree in Nursing program’s Gold Star increased their earnings by 90%, 86% attained the regional living wage, and 100% secured a job closely related to their field of study. Recent graduates are entering a favorable labor market, due to an increased demand for healthcare with the Affordable Care Act and a high number of Registered Nurse retirements.
Cabrillo College’s Dental Hygiene program accomplished a Gold Star standard, because students improved their earnings by 112%, 89% attain the regional living wage, and 100% secured a job closely related to their field of study.
“Strong Workforce Stars career education programs are proven to help Californians increase their earning power,” said Van Ton-Quinlivan, executive vice chancellor for Workforce & Digital Futures. “With the introduction of levels this year, we are able to highlight those programs that are seeing significant results, as well as those that are on the rise toward even greater success.”
For more information about Cabrillo College and our Workforce Stars program, go to http://www.dwmshowcase.com/showcase_workforce_stars.asp?pg=7.
Cabrillo College is part of the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation composed of 72 districts and 114 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year.
Community colleges supply workforce training, basic skills education and prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions. The Chancellor’s Office provides leadership, advocacy and support under the direction of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
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For more information about the community colleges, please visit http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/. To see all of the Strong Workforce Stars stories, go to http://dwmshowcase.com/