Community College Kudos

We all need jobs to pay our bills. Jobs are scarce. Jobs often require a college education. College is expensive. So, what are we to do? Many say the answer lies in community college.

President Obama is encouraging Americans to consider enrolling in their local community college, which typically offers low tuition and job-placement assistance. This week, The New York Times highlighted one particularly successful local secondary school: Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. The school is seen as a nationwide model for community members of all ages who are looking for higher-paying, more highly skilled jobs.

“We can bring a lot of jobs to the area, but if we can’t put the work force in place to fill those positions, it’s unrealized potential,” said Jim Leftwich, president of the Dayton Development Coalition. "Sinclair has been with us every step of the way in helping prepare the work force we need."

Part of Sinclair’s winning formula is making itself especially affordable — and reaching out to folks who were not exactly mathletes in high school. For instance, high school students who enroll in technical courses and maintain a C-plus average are eligible to receive a $3,000 scholarship, which covers tuition for a year and a half.

Sinclair aims to help the community, and in turn the community helps the college. Since the 1960s, Dayton’s Montgomery County has consistently voted in favor of a real estate levy that provides extra funding for the college — $34 million of its annual $135 million budget. County taxpayers are generally paying to help themselves, as about 50 percent of adult Montgomery residents have taken courses there.

Of course, the bottom line for most students is jobs — and Sinclair does its best to keep the focus on preparing students for the workforce once they graduate. It works closely with local business leaders to provide training for jobs area employers most want to fill. For instance, Sinclair offers degrees in things like advanced technical intelligence to prepare them for jobs at the nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Community colleges have often had a stigma as being somehow “less-than” a fancy four-year school, but if community college students graduate with jobs and little debt they can enjoy the last laugh.

Photo courtesy of marygober via stock.xchang