Career Colleges Agree with President Obama: Let’s get serious about higher education and job training

Career colleges are committed to protecting students and matching skills with in-demand jobs

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In his weekly address President Barack Obama stated:

“[W]e’ve fallen to 16th in the proportion of our young people with a college degree, even though we know that sixty percent of new jobs in the coming decade will require more than a high school diploma.”

“[W]e’ve fallen to 16^th in the proportion of our young people with a college degree, even though we know that sixty percent of new jobs in the coming decade will require more than a high school diploma.

“What this means is that if we’re serious about building an economy that lasts – an economy in which hard work pays off with the opportunity for solid middle class jobs – we had better be serious about education. We have to pick up our game and raise our standards.”

The Coalition for Educational Success agrees with the President and stands ready to bridge the nation’s skills gap, protect students and help prepare unemployed and underemployed Americans for in-demand careers.

Today, the jobs exist, but the properly trained workforce does not. America needs to bridge the gap between employers’ needs and workforce training. Career colleges stand ready to build on our success of preparing students for in-demand careers and assist federal, state and local governments to address the skills gap that exists in America.

That is why career colleges are preparing students for high tech, green energy and other manufacturing jobs. Career colleges educate and place students in 17 of the 20 fastest growing fields in the nation, with career college graduates representing forty-two percent of all medical degrees awarded at 2-year-and-less institutions. This year alone, career colleges will place more than 100,000 graduates directly into jobs at thousands of employers all across America.

Career colleges know more can be done to prepare students for employment and protect them during their pursuit of higher education. That is why a group of career colleges recently agreed to adhere to the Foundation for Educational Success’ Standards of Responsible Conduct and Transparency. These Standards outline key operating principles for higher education, build on existing federal, state and accreditation regulations and provide students with access to comprehensive critical information about program costs and typical student outcomes, so they can make the most informed decisions. This starts with a 21-day ‘Readiness Opportunity’ under which students can withdraw at any point before their 21^st day and leave the school with no debt.

Career colleges have a proven track record of preparing students for tomorrow’s careers. As part of an effort to further the conversation, in October, the Coalition is hosting an Education and Jobs Summit at Ecotech Institute, the first college focused entirely on preparing America's workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design. Programs like those at Ecotech Institute give graduates the practical, hands-on skills necessary to provide employers with job ready employees who can make an immediate impact.

The Coalition invites President Obama, along with other interested in addressing how higher education address issues unemployment and underemployment, to join the career college sector in finding solutions.

Coalition for Educational Success

The Coalition for Educational Success includes many of the nation's leading career colleges. Career colleges provide training for students in 17 of the 20 fastest growing fields. The Coalition advocates for policies that support wider access to higher education, particularly for non-traditional students including full-time workers, workforce returners, working parents, minorities and veterans.