Meeting the Demand for Career Training

2013-14 Budget Investment Will Move COC Forward

The Bottom Line

The state has proposed new funding for community colleges in 2013, partially reinvesting in higher education after five years of budget cuts. If approved by the Legislature, it could mean $2 million in new revenue for College of the Canyons, which will enable us to meet the surging demand for training in high-wage, high-demand fields.

Surging Demand

• In the next five years, fall semester enrollment at College of the Canyons is expected to surge to 25,908 students an increase of 68 percent. We are the grad schools of the future. Today’s workforce will return to community colleges regularly for retraining to stay marketable.

-50% of Hart District graduates enter COC upon graduation from high school.

-That increases to 60 percent within two years.

• What will our students look like?

-They will be older than the traditional community college student.

-The median age of our students is 25.

-50 percent of our students are age 25 or older. 

They will be seeking training and education to upgrade their skills and enter high-wage, high-demand fields. § The most common student educational goal is to update job skills. 

The number of veterans graduating from College of the Canyons has grown 228 percent over the last two years.

Partial Reinvestment Compounding Impact of Ongoing Budget Cuts

For the first time in five years, a funding increase for community colleges has been proposed instead of continued cuts. This investment comes at a critical time for the continued growth and development of California’s economy.

Governor Brown proposes $197 million in new funding that may be able to be used to restore the student enrollment lost in recent years. While how we can use the funds, and what the restrictions

The cumulative impact of ongoing budget cuts is $56.9 million in reduced funding and buying power.