Recession Means Enrollment at Community College
Enrollment at Austin Community College, one of the state’s biggest two-year schools, spiked 12 percent between last spring and this spring, continuing fast-paced growth over the last three years amid an economic downturn, college officials announced Wednesday. The 41,050 students currently enrolled put ACC within striking distance of the University of Texas at Austin, which reported slightly more than 51,000 students in attendance for the fall semester. And it’s the latest of several years of growth at ACC, which has grown nearly 40 percent since 2005 and plans to grow quite a bit more.
The recession ...
Comments (1)
Richard Moore
"But any excitement over increased enrollment must be tempered by the reality that the majority of community college students never earn a credential."
Perhaps the "credentials" being offered need to be expanded. Many of these students are not attempting to attain terminal degrees - nor should they be. Their attainment of competencies in useful fields (job skills areas) would be recognized by employers. Community Colleges can and should play a much expanded role in workforce development. They are close to the employers and should be able to react quickly to changes in job skill requirements.