The Automotive Technician program at Coconino Community College, made possible with a partnership with Findlay Honda of Flagstaff, is one of several new programs brought online to help county residents reskill and recover from the pandemic. Courtesy photo.
FLAGSTAFF — Sometimes, they are working more than one job. Sometimes, the job they have don’t support their families. Sometimes, they need training for a new job.
And, sometimes, students come to Coconino Community College to test the waters of higher education and to figure out a path in life.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit northern Arizona, it wasn’t long before the career landscape began to change. In order to help as many students as possible adapt to that changing landscape, CCC has been bringing on board a number of new programs designed to get people into the workforce fast, said CCC President Dr. Colleen A. Smith. Additionally, with the help of COVID relief funds, the college is also offering free tuition for this year’s high school graduates in Coconino County and reduced tuition for all other students.
“In keeping with our philosophy of ‘Students First,’ we are using as much of the federal funding as possible to help students get started in college right away,” Smith said. “There will also be funding to help students who have needed to take some time away from their college studies due to the many different impacts of the pandemic.”
CCC Provost Dr. Nate Southerland said that this year’s graduating class in the county has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and need help in successfully launching a college career.
“Whether they need to take some remedial classes to catch up on their Math and English skills or get a head start on the classes required for their major, we want our graduating seniors to know that we are here for them,” Southerland said. “Even graduating seniors who plan to go to a university in the fall can benefit from CCC’s free summer tuition – and they can stay at CCC if they find that our small class sizes, excellent instructors, and low cost meet their needs.”
Southerland added that stimulus money will also be available to all students who continue to take classes into the fall 2021 semester. Many of the classes will be provided in person, as long as COVID-19 numbers continue to trend downward.
CHANGING JOB LANDSCAPE
Smith said that the college is aligning with other colleges in Arizona to serve as the drivers to provide fast, job-focused training for unemployed and underemployed workers in an economy reshaped by the pandemic.
According to information from the Arizona Community College Coordinating Council, a recent report, “Arizona Reskilling & Recovery Network: A Workforce Development and Education/Training Framework,” states that community colleges have the unique position to “quickly work across government and industry sectors to develop programs that upskill and reskill workers for the new economy.”
“New career paths are emerging while others are shifting away from what we knew before,” Smith said, adding that CCC has been gearing up a host of new programs to include: Cybersecurity; Amazon Web Services cloud computing; Google IT Support Professional; Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; Commercial Driver’s License (coming in May); and Caregiver. There are also a variety career paths in the construction, first responder and healthcare trades as well as paths to a university four-year degree. Plus, if students are still working on the requirements for a high school diploma, they can do so at CCC through the Adult Education program, which also offers English language acquisition classes.
Smith also said that CCC’s quick response to the changing job landscape is only made possible with the help of dedicated faculty and staff as well as through vital partnerships with the business community throughout northern Arizona. A recent example is the new Automotive Tech program, with Findlay Honda of Flagstaff generously donating staff time, classroom and lab space for students.
CCC has even partnered with Google to offer the Google IT Support Professional certification, which gives students with little or no knowledge of Information Technology support, in a short amount of time, the skills they need for an entry-level IT support position. The training also prepares students to test for other industry-accepted certifications in IT support, like CompTIA and A+.
Lisa Blank, CCC Dean of Career and Technical Education, said, “CCC is really excited to offer this workforce opportunity. It rapidly moves CCC students into jobs that provide a living wage and positions them for numerous career-advancement opportunities. It’s a win for the community, families, students and CCC.”
For more information about CCC, visit https://www.coconino.edu/apply-now .