The Community and Technical College System of West Virginia (WVCTCS) today announced 4,696 degrees were awarded during the 2013-2014 school year – a 57 percent increase from the 2009-2010 school year.
“Community and technical colleges are meeting the challenge. Five years ago, we set out to increase the number of degree holders and we did it,” said Chancellor James L. Skidmore. “In 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require postsecondary education. We work closely with business and industry to guarantee that our programs and training services fully prepare graduates for the workforce demands of today and tomorrow. I am extremely proud of our institutions and commend them for this accomplishment.”
Between 2009 and 2014, the number of certificate degrees awarded more than doubled from 539 to 1,476, and the number of associate degrees awarded increased 31 percent from 2,250 to 2,949.
These increases are a result of strong efforts by all nine community and technical colleges to help more students obtain degrees. Some of these initiatives include:
· Incorporating job skills into programs and curricula that graduates need to be successful in the workplace
· Establishing learn-and-earn and apprenticeship opportunities with local employers
· Developing accelerated programs to help students reduce time-to-degree
· Instituting a new developmental education model to improve student success
· Providing academic and career planning services to reduce the number of undecided students
The mission of the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia is to promote and provide high-quality, accessible, and responsive education and training opportunities that maximize student learning, improve the standard of living for West Virginians, and contribute to the economic vitality and competitiveness of our state.
