Healthcare Careers: Geriatric Care, Hospice Support, & Physician Assistant

As a response to the weakened economy, workplaces across the country are cutting back on their employees and salaries. While this may come as a devastating and unexpected surprise for many workers, some community colleges view this unfortunate downturn as a potential time for new opportunities.

Some community colleges are providing students with "insurance" against unemployment, while others are outright giving free tuition to students. While many community colleges have independently been offering residents free or reduced tuition, federal legislation may give unemployed individuals across the nation free access to further education.

This video looks at reduced tuition at community colleges.

Pending Legislation for Greater Support

In light of recent job cuts across the United States, many residents and leaders support plans to offer reduced or free tuition for unemployed citizens. As The Pittsburgh Gazette reports, Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senator Bob Casey is one of the many senators and government officials proclaiming that reduced tuition may help foster an improved workforce for the future. Casey hopes to pass legislation that would create an Unemployment Tuition Assistance Program in the Department of Labor, wherein individuals who are receiving unemployment payments will be automatically notified as to whether or not they could also receive tuition assistance. If all goes as planned, the legislation could help reimburse schools a maximum of $1,000 per student.

While this plan sounds optimistic,

Although the American auto industry has been struggling recently, many experts believe that the auto industry will soon be hiring highly skilled workers to build energy-efficient vehicles. If you are passionate about automobiles, check out your local community college’s auto program. With careers in repair, engineering, design, and various other options, an auto-based education can help students race toward a potentially lucrative future!

Auto Programs and Opportunities

With diverse opportunities in the automotive industry, students can investigate new and traditional career options. For example, Shoreline Community College (SCC), located in Shoreline, Washington, is one of the many community colleges offering students exciting course opportunities. Students can enroll in Automotive Service, Automotive Programs, Automotive Career Training, Technical Education Networks, and General Service venues.

Best of all, each focus area is endorsed by a leading automotive company. For example, students enrolled in the Automotive Service Education Program can earn their degree with the support of General Motors. To provide students with both knowledge and experience, students enrolled in this pathway spend alternating quarters in the classroom and the workforce by participating in internships at a sponsoring General Motors dealership. Similarly, Chrysler also provides students with a cooperating internship opportunity, as students enrolled in the Chrysler College Automotive Program can also work at a Chrysler dealership while alternately attending classes. Both Honda and Toyota also provide students with cooperating work and educational options.

In addition, for students looking to graduate early, SCC offers three-quarter programs,

Understanding the learning differences between genders, community colleges are actively encouraging young women's full mental and emotional development. Many community colleges are creating new programs solely dedicated to providing young female students with leadership and role model opportunities.

Striving to boost young girls’ feelings of self-worth, confidence, and determination, community college programs for young females are available at local campuses across the country.

Community College Youth Outreach Programs

Many community colleges have created youth programs that are co-ed. For example, Corning Community College, located in Corning, New York, provides younger kids of any gender with an opportunity to celebrate their heritage with a local “Cook Kids” campus group. With this group, children can engage in various events, such as the “Cook Kids Young Spirit Dancers” venue, wherein participating children will wear an authentic Native American outfit from their family’s ancestry or tribal affiliation. Members of this particular youth group range in age from 3 to 24, and therefore, individuals of various backgrounds and maturity levels can interact and learn from one another. With such events, children can learn more about their history, grow in their identity, and boost their confidence and social relationships.

While these co-ed programs are certainly effective and positive, many campus leaders have realized that boys and girls may occasionally need separate opportunities to encounter success. Specifically, to provide girls with unique and individualized opportunities, an array of campuses have set up workshops, classes, and social groups to teach young females about the

Most students hold the perception that community colleges do not require entrance exams. However, more and more students are surprised to learn that they must complete enrollment exams before they attend a community college class.

Although enrollment exams are not necessarily required for all students at every school, many community colleges have implemented enrollment exams to better place each individual student in the most appropriate class setting. If students struggle with their enrollment exams, then administrators can quickly step in to provide foundational support. Conversely, students who perform well on enrollment exams enjoy greater class choice privileges.

What are Enrollment Exams?

Enrollment exams are basic skills or subject tests implemented to determine a student’s incoming knowledge in each content area. For example, at Queensborough Community College (QCC), located in Bayside, New York, all students must be completely proficient in specific areas of reading, writing, and math. To guide students, QCC has a specialized campus Testing Services Center. Here, the administrators of QCC allow students to partake in three different types of tests: placement exams for new freshmen, exit exams for students completing remediation programs, and proficiency exams that are required for graduation.

According to QCC, these exams help determine if students need remediation before entering college courses. If a student is found to be struggling, as revealed by his or her exam results, QCC provides students with an array of support