Center for American Progress

Fact Sheet: 5 Ways Community Colleges Spur Workforce Development
Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: 5 Ways Community Colleges Spur Workforce Development

Community colleges support and drive workforce development to foster a more skilled and competitive American labor force.

Student, in shadow, walking down staircase with building and other people in background
Students walk around campus at East Los Angeles College, September 2022, in California. (GettyDania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times
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Community colleges create essential opportunities for a diverse student population to learn new skills, participate in job-training and short-term credential programs, and earn their associate degree. The more than 1,000 community colleges in the United States serve about 44 percent of the undergraduate population, providing not only the skills necessary to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation but also general education courses and help transferring to four-year institutions.1

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Community colleges serve primarily underserved communities2—including students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds,3 older learners,4 and students from underrepresented groups.5 With flexible offerings, relatively affordable tuition, and a focus on fostering workforce development, community colleges offer a blend of work-based and classroom learning that ensures students gain both practical experience and academic knowledge.

Community colleges support and drive workforce development in five ways, fostering a more skilled and competitive American labor force:

  1.  Community colleges offer work-based and experiential learning opportunities. Through the “alignment of classroom and workplace learning, application of academic, technical and employability skills in a work setting, and support from classroom or workplace mentors,” work-based learning programs help prepare students to enter the workforce.6 These programs create opportunities for students to build relationships in given industries and gain hands-on experiences through apprenticeships, internships, or other on-the-job training opportunities.
  2. Community colleges can work with employers to shape tomorrow’s workforce. Employer partnerships are agreements between community colleges and various organizations—such as local businesses, industry groups, unions, and other sector partners—to create educational and training opportunities closely aligned with workforce needs.7 These partnerships can involve varying degrees of employer contributions, such as offering staff, funding, facilities, labor market insights, and leadership support to achieve shared goals. In these partnerships, employers and community colleges share responsibility for student success while addressing local workforce needs.8
  3. Community colleges play a crucial role in helping students transition from education to employment. Community colleges are particularly well-positioned to tailor career support and guidance, as they often provide more industry-aligned curricula and hands-on learning experiences than four-year institutions. For instance, many community colleges have resource centers that assist with mock interviews and résumé reviews, ensuring students are well-prepared for the job market.9 Community colleges work closely with local businesses to create partnerships that help students gain valuable workplace skills and therefore are well-positioned to guide their students to and through the interview process. Additionally, because community colleges are closely connected to local industry needs, they can tailor their programs to match specific regional demands in a way that larger universities often cannot.
  4. Community colleges offer flexible learning options to serve a diverse population of students. Community colleges offer both credit and noncredit programs, giving students the chance to either enrich their existing skills or develop new ones in relevant fields. This flexibility makes community colleges an attractive option for a variety of learners, whether they are looking to transfer to a four-year university, earn a certificate, or simply take courses to enhance their professional qualifications. Additionally, community colleges offer both adult learning and English as a second language services, further expanding access to education for a broader audience.10
  5. Community colleges drive local economic development. Investing in community colleges for the purpose of boosting local economic development works to create a ripple effect that benefits both individuals and the broader workforce. By fostering skill development and providing access to higher education, community colleges help cultivate a more competitive and qualified labor force. This, in turn, supports local businesses and industries by ensuring their access to a skilled talent pool, which ultimately contributes to long-term economic growth. The stronger the connection between community colleges and local economies, the more resilient and adaptable the workforce becomes, benefiting local communities and the U.S. economy at large.

Endnotes

  1. U.S. Department of Education, “Community College Facts at a Glance,” available at https://www.ed.gov/higher-education/find-college-or-educational-program/community-college/facts-at-a-glance (last accessed May 2025); Robert Lerman and others, “How Community Colleges Can Scale US Apprenticeships: Evidence from the Field” (Washington: Apprenticeships for America, 2024), available at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65241e13ec88622a6bc21a85/t/66f30c931d2c1d3e9064067f/1727204499686/How+Community+Colleges+Can+Help+Scale+US+Apprenticeships+-+Final.pdf.
  2. Foundation for California Community Colleges, “Lifting Up Communities Historically Underserved by Education,” available at https://foundationccc.org/our-work/equity/lifting-up-communities-historically-underserved-by-education/ (last accessed May 2025).
  3. The Center for Law and Social Policy, “Low-Income Adults Need Strong Community Colleges,” October 1, 2018, available at https://www.clasp.org/press-room/news-clips/low-income-adults-need-strong-community-colleges/.
  4. Achieving the Dream, “Prioritizing Adult Community College Enrollment (PACCE),” available at https://achievingthedream.org/initiatives/pacce/ (last accessed May 2025).
  5. Columbia University Teachers College Community College Research Center, “An Introduction to Community Colleges and Their Students” (New York: 2021), available at https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/introduction-community-colleges-students.pdf.
  6. U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education and Perkins Collaborative Resource Network, “Work-Based Learning Tool Kit: Components of Comprehensive Work-Based Learning (WBL) Programs,” available at https://cte.ed.gov/wbltoolkit/index.html (last accessed May 2025).
  7. Melissa Leavitt, “Employer and Community College Partnerships: Models and Practices for Supporting Students and Strengthening the Workforce” (Indianapolis: Strada Education Foundation, 2023), available at https://stradaeducation.org/report/employer-and-community-college-partnerships-models-and-practices-for-supporting-students-and-strengthening-the-workforce/#:~:text=In%20such%20partnerships%2C%20community%20colleges,meeting%20regional%20workforce%20development%20needs.
  8. Ibid.
  9. The following are examples of community colleges’ career services offerings: East Los Angeles College, “Career Mock Interview Information,” available at https://www.elac.edu/student-services/cjs/mock-interview#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20mock%20interview,interview%20skills%20and%20gain%20feedback (last accessed May 2025); Mesa Community College Alumni Association, “Mock Job Interviews Prepare Students for Workforce,” available at https://www.mesacc.edu/alumni/newsletters/fall-2013/mock-job-interviews-prepare-students-workforce#:~:text=The%20panel%20is%20given%20a%20set%20of,to%20review%20comments%20and%20their%20own%20performance (last accessed May 2025).
  10. Columbia University Teachers College Community College Resource Center and UC Santa Cruz, “Bridging Policy and Practice: Opportunities for Community College Providers of Adult Education ESL,” April 24, 2025, available at https://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Bridging-Policy-and-Practice-AERA-Handout-Final-PDF.pdf. The following are examples of adult learning services at community colleges: Pitt Community College, “Adult Learning Center,” available at https://pittcc.edu/admissions/adult-learning-center/#:~:text=Apply%20to%20PCC%20with%20the,financial%20aid%2C%20and%20academic%20support (last accessed May 2025); Delaware County Community College, “Adult Students,” available at https://www.dccc.edu/adult-students/ (last accessed May 2025); Montgomery College, “Adult Learners,” available at https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/adult-learners/index.html#:~:text=Welcome%20to%20Montgomery%20College!,your%20academic%20and%20professional%20goals (last accessed May 2025).

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Author

Madison Weiss

Senior Policy Analyst, Higher Education

Team

Higher Education Policy

The Higher Education team works toward building an affordable and high-quality higher education system that promotes economic mobility, racial equity, and a strong democracy.

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