October 9, 2015
We
at OCTAE know that you share our sense of grief at the loss of lives due to the
shootings at Umpqua Community College last week and to the tragic traffic
accident involving students at North Seattle College the week before that. We
join you in extending our deepest sympathies for the victims and their
families. At the same time we have in our thoughts both college communities —
the campus leaders, trustees, students, faculty, staff, administrators and all
those working to ensure the well-being of the two communities.
On
Thursday, Sept. 17, as part of her Reach Higher Initiative, first lady
Michelle Obama visited Howard Community College to encourage students from
Howard County High School to take advantage of education beyond high school. Reach
Higher is a broad-based effort to promote postsecondary education by making
students aware of the multiple opportunities available to them, advocating for
college affordability, encouraging academic planning, and supporting the work
of counselors and mentors in guiding students toward their best college
options.
Regarding
postsecondary education, Obama told the students, “It’s the best investment in
your future.” She explained that high school graduates have a variety of
options for continuing their education and should carefully consider community
college as an alternative to pursuing a four-year degree. Said Obama, “When we
talk about college, lots of times, people think four-year universities and
that’s not often the right path for many students.” The first lady emphasized
that “we’re fortunate enough to live in a country where we have so many options,”
and that “Community colleges provide a clear and affordable pathway for kids
who think college is unaffordable.” Addressing a question about how to make the
best postsecondary education choices, Obama responded, “I would encourage you
to look at your options. Take a tour, and meet with alumni, professors, and
students … You can even take a virtual tour. In the end, ask yourself, what do
you feel here,” she said, pointing to her heart.
Howard
Community College students, in the Cardiovascular Technology Program,
demonstrate simulated patient and diagnostic imaging equipment that assists
with heart catheterization procedures to the first lady and Howard County High
School students.
Community
colleges offer students a variety of distinct advantages and opportunities. One
such bonus is that their average cost is lower than at four-year and for-profit
institutions. According to a recent study by the College Board,
for the 2014–15 academic year, the average tuition for an in-district student
attending a public, two-year community college was $3,347, as compared with
$9,139 for an in-state student attending a public four-year college or
university. For out-of-state students, the average tuition at four-year state colleges
and universities was $22,958. Tuition at private four-year colleges and
universities averaged $31,231, while tuition at for-profit institutions
averaged $15,230.
Community
colleges can offer more program options for students than the typical four-year
college or university. They offer certificate and two-year degree programs directly
preparing students for employment, as well as transfer programs leading to a
four-year degree. For some students, this is a particular advantage. James Rosenbaum,
Northwestern University education researcher (see http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/faculty-experts/fellows/rosenbaum.html), among others,
maintains that students unsure about their future aspirations may gain
substantial benefits by earning a certificate or a two-year degree at a
community college, even if they plan on later pursuing a four-year degree.
This, according to Rosenbaum, is a particularly valuable option for students
who are unsure about the discipline in which they want to major, including
those students who declare a major only to change it at a later date, or who foresee
possible difficulties in being able to complete a four-year degree.
For
information about occupations that typically require a certificate or two-year
degree, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website, especially the
Occupational
Outlook Handbook.
For
more coverage of the First Lady’s visit to Howard Community College, click here.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration recently issued
a Request for Proposal
(RFP), for a new pilot Job Corps program—the Cascades Job Corps College and
Career Academy. According to the announcement, the academy will be responsible
for training high school dropouts and unemployed youths for careers, as well as
assisting them in obtaining high school equivalency certificates or high school
diplomas. The awarded contractor will be responsible for operating the pilot
residential Job Corps career-pathway program that will consist of “connected
academic and career training that enables students between the ages of 16 and
21 years old at entry to complete industry-recognized credentials, secure a
job, and/or advance to higher levels of education and employment.” The program includes the “provision of
academic, technical, and non-cognitive skills and related support services for
an estimated total of 150 residential male students and 150 residential female
students.” The contractor will provide housing as well as the full complement
of services for all students.
It should be noted that this new
pilot, according to the RFP, will not serve as a “transition from or
continuation of the traditional Job Corps program currently operated at the
site” but instead will be “a new center start-up.”
Under the new contract, as specified
in the
RFP, the contractor’s duties will be as
follows:
- “Design the program and curricula based on prescribed components.
- Propose career technical training offerings within the Health Care and Information Technology industry sectors.
- Hire/train or subcontract for qualified personnel.
- Collaborate/cooperate with the National Office of Job Corps for facility renovation to accommodate the pilot program design.”
The awarded contractor will also be
responsible for developing a “student build-up plan and schedule.”
The new contract, as detailed in the
release, will have a two-year base period, running from Feb. 1, 2016, through Jan.
31, 2018, in addition to three governmental unilateral renewal options for one
year each. This is an unrestricted procurement.
All written proposal submissions are
due no later than Nov. 16, 2015, at 4:30 p.m. PST to the address provided in the RFP.
All
interested parties should review the full Request for Proposal for more information, including the pre-proposal conference and site visit,
scheduled for Oct. 16, 2015, at 9:30
30
a.m. local time, at the current Cascades Job Corps Center, in Sedro Woolley,
WA.
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