Community Colleges Creating Economic Mobility

This brief is a case study of successful efforts by manufacturing certificate programs at two community colleges that have resulted in economic mobility for graduates, especially for people of color. The goal of this brief is to inform program design and delivery across community colleges nationally with the goal of creating equitable economic mobility. We find that:

1.      The key to manufacturing programs’ success was targeting “high-quality” occupations, and offering relevant competencies with in-depth, hands-on learning.

2.     Having mentors with industry knowledge and connections was key to graduates’ labor market success.

3.     Internship opportunities and job search support made a big difference in connecting program graduates to “high-quality” jobs.