College receives grants for job training and workforce development
09/20/2012
Edmonds College will receive a $3 million grant to provide online instruction and services for adult learners pursuing certificates in computer support, network security, web development and design, and data management. Instructors will serve as mentors while employers act as subject matter experts in an innovative, self-paced online training model.
“PACE-IT” (Progressive Accelerated Certifications for Employment in Information Technology) will offer internships and help students find jobs. Edmonds CC also received funds as part of the Wichita Area Technical College Consortium to disseminate the Washington Aerospace Training and Research Center aerospace industry training model.
News from State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Community colleges receive millions in grants for job training and workforce development
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Bellevue College and Edmonds College will receive millions in grants from the U.S. Department of Labor to train students for high-tech, high-demand jobs that meet specific industry needs.
The department today announced an $11.8 million grant for Bellevue College to provide health information technology training for dislocated workers and veterans in partnership other Washington community colleges. The partnership, known as the “Health e-Workforce Consortium,” includes: Bellevue College, Bellingham Technical College, Clark College, Clover Park Technical College, Pierce College, Renton Technical College, Spokane Community College, and Whatcom Community College.
The grant will provide skilled workers for Washington’s health care industry, which relies increasingly on computerized information systems to manage patient information and other health data. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 targets $19 billion to help with the computerization of health records by 2014. The American Medical Informatics Association estimates it will take at least 200,000 newly trained specialists to meet that goal, including thousands in Washington State.
Edmonds College will receive a $3 million grant to provide online instruction and services for adult learners pursuing certificates in computer support, network security, web development and design, and data management. Instructors will serve as mentors while employers act as subject matter experts in an innovative, self-paced online training model. “PACE-IT” (Progressive Accelerated Certifications for Employment in Information Technology) will offer internships and help students find jobs.
Bellevue College and Edmonds College are among 32 recipients chosen in the first $500 million round of grants to community and technical colleges around the country. The grants are part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative. The U.S. Department of Labor is implementing and administering the grant program in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education.
“This is terrific news for students and employers alike,” said Marty Brown, executive director for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. “It’s exactly the type of focused investment that will pay off in better jobs and more successful companies.”
Renton Technical College has also been awarded a $2 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support its “Student Success and Entry Pathway” program. The money will be used to redesign and integrate front-end services – such as orientation, advising, financial aid, assessments and basic literacy classes – to help incoming students avoid roadblocks later in college.