Untitled Document Spring 2000, No. Gaining computer technology skills was reported as a major reason for attending for a fifth of all credit respondents. This was especially true for first-generation students, single parents, and unemployed individuals, with a fourth of each group saying gaining computer skills was paramount among their reasons for choosing a community college . Community colleges are a critical link in producing the workers needed to fuel the exploding information technology industry. Students who have already attained advanced degrees choose community colleges to upgrade skills.
Community colleges play a substantial role generally in preparing students for today's workplace.
Nearly half of full-time, employed credit students said that increasing their earning power was a major motivator, and 37 percent said a major reason for attending was to make a career change. In a decade of steeply rising university tuitions, community colleges are the best and sometimes only hope to ensure career and earning competitiveness for the least skilled and most economically disadvantaged. Over half of community college students are first-generation students whose parents did not attend college. Four out of five students from respondent colleges reported complete satisfaction with their community college experience. Our survey points to the effectiveness of the community college curriculum and its impact on helping people achieve their life and career goals.