College graduation is among the most significant milestones one can reach. It is the pinnacle of the invested effort, hours of studying, and dedication. And after that comes what most people strive for: a stable and secure job. Community college and university students are no different in these hopes and aspirations.
Younger Millennials and Gen Z gave a new name (The Quiet Quitting) to an old idea – doing what you’re paid for and not going the extra mile for an employer. On the flip side, the recession and lack of skilled talent forced employers to commit to boosting employee productivity and weeding out low performers.
Despite being essential for developing skilled students and contributing to America’s workforce, the partnership between community colleges and employers is below the needed level. Their collaboration has been consistently deteriorating over time, reaching the point of not being enough to meet the nation’s need to provide aspiring employees with the knowledge and capabilities necessary to fill crucial middle-skills jobs.
Throughout history, the community college has significantly helped America’s economic prosperity, providing it with qualified middle-skills workers. For more than a century, it has been a crucial higher-learning institution due to being a local source of accessibility.
Everyone’s path toward higher education is different, and not everyone can reach it. But even when students graduate, many struggle with getting a chance from employers. Although many business leaders perceive a four-year degree requirement as something that should be normal and expected, that shouldn’t be the case.
It is no longer a shocking revelation that the partnership between employers and community colleges has been on life support for nearly decades. Their lack of communication, data sharing, and joint efforts has plagued the local talent market and exacerbated the middle-skills gap.
Community college enrollment depends on many factors, including economic fluctuations, geopolitical stability, and market changes. Unfavorable circumstances, such as recession, low employment levels, and overall uncertainty, tend to discourage would-be students from pursuing higher education.
Even though the community college is an admirable and respectable institution, people rarely know how much work must be put into its effective work and programs. Multiple actions, initiatives, and strategies must occur in the background for everything to flow and for the community college to serve the community and accomplish the necessary results.
It is far from a secret that the collaboration between community colleges and local businesses hasn’t been working effectively for decades. Although their partnership formally exists, it is not resulting in outcomes that benefit both parties, graduates, and the U.S. economy.
In this increasingly fast-changing and complex world, juggling studying and other responsibilities are becoming more challenging every year. Young people, especially those aspiring to become community college students, can find it just as hard to keep up with the fluctuating living costs as older adults.
