Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Programs and Adult Basic Education Partnerships

BRADENTON, FL, UNITED STATES, July 8, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants Program builds the capacity of community colleges to address identified equity gaps and meet the skill development needs of employers in in-demand industries and create career pathways leading to quality jobs.

Grant recipients are individual community colleges or a consortium of community colleges undertaking capacity building and systems change at the institutional or state level, respectively. Both consortia and single institutions will work with required workforce development system partners and employer partners to train a broad spectrum of workers, including dislocated workers, incumbent workers, and new entrants to the workforce. Colleges must partner with a state or local workforce development board and an industry association or sector group. Applicants are encouraged to have other partners, including community-based organizations, Adult Education programs, and labor unions. Grants are for a four-year period.

“Advancing Equity” is the first of four core program elements that each application must address. The other core elements are: accelerated career pathways, results-driven project design, and sustainable systems change. Given the core elements of the training grant program, adult education is a natural and recommended partner for community college applicants. “Nearly 500 adult education programs are already embedded in community colleges with the remaining 1,500 programs operating as stand alone agencies or embedded into school systems, community based organizations, and workforce development systems that are working at the frontlines of advancing equity and building career pathways for the nation’s most underserved adults”, noted Sharon Bonney, Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education.

Patricia Tyler, Executive Director of the National Association of the State Directors of Adult Education (NASDAE) noted “Adult Education programs can be an essential asset for Community Colleges that are striving to advance equity within their institutions and systems. Adult Education programs are experts in helping marginalized students overcome barriers and succeed in attaining the skills necessary for success in higher education and job training.

All grants will be at least $1.5 million and capped at $1.6 million for institutional awards and $5 million for consortia awards. The third round of funding is being made available immediately. The Department of Labor is soliciting applications for the Strengthening Community Colleges Round 3 Grant due October 14, 2022.

“The SCCT grants are an opportunity for community colleges and adult education programs to work together to strengthen and systematize career pathways. Career pathways and Integrated Education and Training modes are evidence-based and proven to help adults get the skills they need to access and succeed in college and career.” said Laurie Kierstead-Joseph, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Adult Basic Education for College & Career at Pima Community College.

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), together with the National Association of the State Directors of Adult Education (NASDAE) call upon community college leaders to work together with the more than 2,500 adult education providers around the country that are providing services to 1.5 million learners nationwide.

Contact [email protected] if you have any questions or would like more details regarding partnership opportunities.

The Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE) is the leading national organization representing the US system of adult education. COABE provides award winning leadership, communication, professional development, and advocacy services to more than 79,000 adult educators and 1.5 million adult learners. Known as an innovation curator, COABE’s diverse, internationally acclaimed strategic initiatives have propelled the field forward in funding, visibility, and professional development. Dynamic, multi level, cross sectoral partnerships are showcased annually at the COABE national conference, which is the largest convening of adult educators in the world. Learn more at www.coabe.org.

The National Association of the State Directors of Adult Education (NASDAE) is organized by state directors of adult education to coordinate, develop, and conduct programs of professional development for state adult education leadership, serve as a catalyst for public policy review and development related to adult education, and to disseminate information on the field of adult education. Learn more at www.nasdae.org.

Sharon Bonney
Coalition on Adult Basic Education
+1 315-395-2789
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