A survey on workforce development is compiling a list of noncredit occupational training options in the U.S., Public News Service reported.
Northern Virginia Community CollegeThe survey is being conducted through a partnership between Opportunity America, Lumina Foundation and Wilder Research.
The survey results will be crucial to economic recovery, given that most people want to return to work quickly and be properly trained, said Steve Partridge, vice president for strategic partnerships and workforce innovation for Northern Virginia Community College. NVCC is participating in the survey.
“So if I have an IT class in my market, I can compare that to other markets to see, are we all doing somewhat the same way of training or is it really just totally different?” Partridge said.
More than 1,000 institutions will add to the survey.
Virginia community colleges offer courses potentially leading to jobs in health care and IT, two of the fastest-growing industries in the state, Public News Service reported.
“If you don’t know that the colleges in your state are capable of doing a great job of preparing a lot more people to go back to work, you’re not going to get them the funding,” said Tamar Jacoby, president of Opportunity America, a survey co-sponsor. “But if we can give you that information that could generate funding for more of these kinds of programs, it would help learners, it would help the college, and it would help the businesses that need a new kind of worker.”
