With job openings at an all-time high and unemployment at extremely low levels, as of 2018, employers need a more efficient way to find qualified applicants. More and more companies turn to a local community college to find a labor pool before people graduate. Consider this tactic when recruiting for positions you need to fill now or sometime in the future.
Why a Community College?
Of the 18 million undergraduates in the United States, 40 percent attend a community college, and of those a whopping 62 percent attend part-time. Attendees of these institutes of higher learning clearly want to better their lives and have the motivation to do so. Also, because of their size, these smaller colleges are more adaptable and more innovative when it comes to teaching practical lessons to students.
Faculty and staff at a community college understand that their job is to bridge the gap between a student and an employer. When a corporation comes in and says it needs employees for certain positions, small colleges can tailor courses to meet the demands of companies. This system works simply because students want to go where the work is.
Examples of Corporations Partnering with Higher Education
Employers take the initiative help fill positions with the right applicants because they let colleges know what types of people, how many people, and what type of education employees need to fill job openings. Professors at smaller colleges help teach concepts to students when they need extra help understanding the curriculum.
Google, for example, launched an eight-month certification program for IT workers. More than 25 community-based colleges signed up to partner with Google to offer college credit for students who complete the course. The flexible program allows colleges to modify the curriculum as they see fit, and the tech giant also helps with scholarships for qualified applicants who cannot afford the $49-a-month fee for the course. Applicants who complete the certification gain the skills they need for an entry-level, high-paying IT position.
Google's program also filters into four-year colleges. Students at Northeastern University can apply credits from the Google program towards a bachelor's degree in IT. Completion of the Google program is worth up to 12 credits towards a Bachelor of Science degree.
Automaker Subaru partnered with Mt. Hood Community College in Oregon to offer an automotive technology degree. Students in the program work at a Subaru dealer for paid, on-the-job training working on cars brought into the dealer for repairs. Upon graduation, workers receive full-time employment. Even though it doesn't offer a degree, electric carmaker Tesla sponsors a 12-week program in California and North Carolina.
Students who attend a local community college take the first step towards bettering their lives and seeking higher-paying jobs. Employers who reach out stand to gain qualified workers sooner rather than later when they sponsor programs that assist their future workers. The situation is a win-win for businesses and job seekers.
Photo courtesy of COD Newsroom at Flickr.com
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