Graduates seek job skills at community colleges

A surprising one out of every 14 people who attend community colleges – widely regarded as low-tuition options for the less well-prepared – has already earned a bachelor degree, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. That’s 770,000 students. At some community colleges, the proportion is as high as one in five, writes Matt Krupnick for The Hechinger Report.

Many bachelor degree holders attending community colleges are seeking new careers, especially in health-related disciplines such as nursing, while others are looking to upgrade their skills in computer-related professions or other job-rich fields including biotechnology.

The phenomenon has exposed a failure by some four-year universities to prepare their graduates for the kinds of jobs available in their surrounding regions, a long-time focus of community colleges, experts and observers say.
Full report on The Hechinger Report site