Information Technology Career Preparation for Rural Areas. Issue 8 (2nd August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hahs-Vaughn, Debbie Lee; Swan, Bonnie; Clark, M. H.
• Is Part Of: Community college journal of research and practice. Volume 44:Issue 8(2020)
• Page Start: 595
• Page End: 607
• Publication Date: 2020-08-02
• Subjects: Community colleges -- United States -- Periodicals; 378.15430973
• DOI: 10.1080/10668926.2019.1626302
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-8926

Abstract

ABSTRACT: One component of postsecondary education needed for economic recovery and development relates to blue-collar industries, jobs requiring some postsecondary training but less than a four-year degree. The U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program provides funding for community colleges to partner with industry to deliver to unemployed/underemployed adults the education and training needed for high-demand blue-collar jobs, with stackable credentials and certificates as the framework. This study evaluated the impact of a Round 3 TAACCCT grant funded to a seven-institution community college consortium in Florida (XCEL-IT). Using a quasi-experimental design with matched samples, XCEL-IT students were nearly eight times as likely to complete training and over five times as likely to continue enrollment in other education relative to comparison students. Non-incumbent XCEL-IT completers were more than six times as likely to enter employment. Additional findings, conclusions, and implications for practice are provided.