在全州范围内，宾夕法尼亚社区学院委员会庆祝了7530名学生 who graduated from the state’s 15 community colleges. Nearly 18% of those graduates attended MCCC. From left, Varsovia Fernandez, Chair of MCCC Board of Trustees; Dr. Chae Sweet, MCCC Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost; Dr. Victoria Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President; and 2024 graduate. Photo by David DeBalko
社区大学毕业生继续填补社区的劳动力需求， 蒙哥马利县社区学院(MCCC)就是这方面工作的一个显著例子. 今年5月，中冶集团有1345名学生毕业，其中绝大多数获得了本科学位 高度优先的职业领域，包括卫生科学、幼儿教育、 and information technology/computer science.
“我们为我们所有的毕业生感到非常自豪，他们加入了这个网络 90,000 Montco alumni,” said Dr. Vicki Bastecki-Perez, MCCC President. “Many of our 校友们继续在蒙哥马利县和宾夕法尼亚州生活、工作、学习和投资， 在改变生活和未来的同时，促进公平的经济繁荣 generations.”
MCCC’s Class of 2024 collectively earned 1,476 degrees and credentials. The graduates 其中第一代460人，老年护理人员476人，护理人员126人，市警70人 and 30 veteran/active military personnel. The age range spanned from 17 to 68 years. 毕业生人数最多的专业是通识教育、工商管理 and Nursing.
根据目前的人口普查和人口数据，这是宾夕法尼亚州预计的 skilled worker shortage could reach 820,000 in the coming years. To meet the state’s 劳动力需求和支持经济持续增长，将需要更多的工人 拥有适合当地雇主需要的证书和培训 area in which community colleges excel. Statewide, the Pennsylvania Commission for 社区学院(PACCC)庆祝了7530名学生从其中一个社区学院毕业 state’s 15 community colleges. Nearly 18% of those graduates attended MCCC.
“MCCC始终走在教育学生满足雇主劳动力需求的前沿 needs and ensure our graduates will earn livable income,” said Dr. Bastecki-Perez. “我们与雇主、蒙哥马利县商务部和政府合作 MontcoWorks为雇主和职业管理劳动力规划 seekers in the County – and government representatives at all levels. This collaboration 确保我们的课程是有意设计以满足当前和未来 workforce needs.”
MCCC作为蒙哥马利经济增长的主要驱动力之一发挥着关键作用 County and the region. For every $1 invested, students gain $4.70 in lifetime earnings, taxpayers gain $2.30 in added tax revenue and public sector savings, and society gains $9.30 in added income and social savings, according an economic impact study by Lightcast for MCCC for fiscal year 2021-22. Furthermore, MCCC benefits the region by adding $817.1 million in total income and supporting 9,139 total jobs (2021-22).
针对医护人员短缺问题，医院和卫生系统协会表示 在2023年11月，宾夕法尼亚州对70家医院进行了一项调查 found that one-third of registered nurse positions were vacant. The need is in sharp 与COVID-19大流行开始前的水平形成鲜明对比，这一点尤其正确 in southeast Pennsylvania. Statewide, community colleges added more than 1,000 nurses to the workforce. Over 10 percent, or 126, of the community college graduates receiving nursing degrees in May were graduates of MCCC.
中冶护理专业毕业生全国理事会执业资格考试首次通过率 for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) was 97% in March 2024. This rate exceeds the state average of 91.7% and the national rate of 87.62% for 2023.
除了护理学，几个健康科学专业在授予学位的名单上名列前茅 今年5月，在该州的社区大学，毕业生获得了资格证书 担任医疗助理，放射技师，牙科保健师，医疗编码员和 billers, sonographers, among many others. At MCCC that included degrees or certificates 在口腔卫生，运动科学和健康，保健管理，按摩 治疗、医疗辅助、医疗实验室技术员、医疗办公室助理、 护理，静脉切开术，物理治疗师助理，公共卫生，放射摄影和 surgical technology.
宾夕法尼亚州也面临着整个英联邦教育工作者的严重短缺. 十年前，每年大约颁发2万份教师证书 2021 only about 6,000 were issued. This includes Pre-K and early childcare programs. 2022年3月的一项Start Strong PA调查发现，有近3.25万名儿童在上学 等候名单91%的受访者认为人员短缺是他们面临的挑战 serve more children.
Community colleges continue to have a positive impact on the educational workforce. MCCC graduates included 33 students who earned credentials in the National 幼儿教育协会(NAEYC)认可的幼儿教育 Education Program. MCCC also had a total of 22 graduates in the Education in the Middle Years and Secondary Education programs.
宾夕法尼亚州的15所社区学院有超过24.5万名学生注册了他们的社区学院 80个校区，为学生和家庭提供真正的储蓄，因为他们追求更多的 credentials. On average, students save $30,000 on their education by starting at, or selecting a community college for their degree or certificate. Those same 15 colleges 与2170名雇主合作进行劳动力培训，确保学生拥有 最新的知识，并为他们提供职业道路.
本学年，MCCC开始了为期18个月的“边学边赚”学徒制 program, the MontcoWorks Apprenticeship Program in Information Technology. This comprehensive IT generalist apprentice program provides 学生在获得区域公司实际操作经验的同时 advanced training at MCCC.
社区大学毕业生也有很多机会获得转学奖学金. One of MCCC’s mechanical engineering graduates, My Ly, is the recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. 李是近1700名申请者中60名学生之一 scholarship. The award will provide as much as $55,000 a year for up to three years for her to complete her bachelor’s degree.
Ly是第一代大学毕业生，参加了荣誉项目 MCCC. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, served as a senator and vice-president 曾任扶轮青年服务团及荣誉团主席 Club. 她还在可持续发展实验室担任志愿者，并参加了INNOVA hydrogen-cell car, among other activities while on campus. She will be attending Bucknell University in the fall.
社区学院是该州最大的公立高等教育提供者 以及劳动力培训，并提供宾夕法尼亚州最低的公立高等教育学费. 此外，75%(75%)的社区学院的课程与高中一致 医疗保健、制造业和公共安全等领域的优先职业. 他们平均每年颁发4000多个医疗证书，其中75% of all associate degrees in nursing in the state. It is estimated that about 55 percent 被宾夕法尼亚大学录取的本科生中有一半被录取 at one of the 15 community colleges in the state.