How can community colleges support students' goals of finding success in the workforce, both today and the future? This issue brief builds upon ACCT's previously published report Partnerships for a Future-Ready Workforce. This brief is the first in a four-part series that will further examine strategies through which community colleges can support students' efforts to achieve their career goals and meet the needs of local economies.
Essential to community colleges' workforce development strategies is recognizing that today's students often simultaneously pursue academics and work. Many community college students work, either full- or part-time, while pursuing their degrees. Students have many reasons to work while pursuing their degrees; some of these reasons include earning money to pay for tuition and living expenses, supporting family, avoiding the opportunity cost of leaving the workforce, or wanting to gain new career experience.
This issue brief serves as a primer on the characteristics of working students and the supports community colleges can offer to ensure these students are able to attain a degree or credential.