Community colleges are among the state’s greatest assets

Paul Francis has his work cut out for him. As the executive director of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, he is responsible for helping supply Washington with great thinkers, innovators and workers not only for the economy of tomorrow, but for the economy of today.

There is, indeed, an immediate need for well-trained workers.

Washington’s projected annual job growth rate is more than 2%, but 70% of jobs in the state require some kind of postsecondary credential, according to the Washington Roundtable.

Francis says community colleges are ready and willing to move young — and not so young — learners to either four-year colleges or into careers where the demand is great.

According to business leaders, that demand is currently outstripping the availability of workers. Washington’s employers say they are ready, today, to hire graduates of community colleges and apprenticeship programs.

But too few Washingtonians are taking advantage of the vast opportunities community colleges can offer. Enrollment is down 20% at the state’s community colleges, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also due to a misconception that a two-year college degree is not financially attainable. Washington provides some of the most generous financial assistance for community colleges in the country. Its Washington College Grant helps working-age students and those from low- and middle income families obtain their educational goals. And graduates of Seattle high schools are eligible for free tuition at community colleges in Seattle under the Seattle Promise.

From accounting and animation at Highline Community College in Des Moines, to digital filmmaking and prepharmacy at Spokane Falls Community College, career training is awaiting the tens of thousands of high school graduates each year.

And how can the state help shrink its 6,000-person nursing shortage? By preparing and encouraging high school students to study nursing at community colleges such as Bellevue College or Shoreline Community College.

Students who graduated in 2022 from Washington’s professional-technical programs such as welding, nursing and cybersecurity with a certificate or degree had an average full-time earning of $63,000, according to the SBCTC.

And for those who have been out of high school for some years, community colleges offer a welcoming and affordable option for those desiring credentials for a career change. In fact, the average age for a community college student in Washington is 27.

Achieving success in the academic and business world should be a seamless journey from high school, to community college, to the workplace.

Community colleges are among the state’s greatest assets. Making sure they are visible, accessible and fully utilized helps students, businesses and local communities thrive in tandem.