The best occupational training programs are developed in close collaboration with employers and change constantly to keep up with the rapidly changing demands of the workplace. Yet postsecondary curriculum review and program accreditation processes are frequently too slow for colleges to develop occupational training that is offered for college credit and yet meets employers needs. This is a key reason why much of the customized training and other job training done by community colleges is provided through noncredit courses. In the long run, though, this damages the ability of low income workers to build on shorter-term training to acquire a college degree because noncredit courses cannot be applied toward an associate or bachelors degree. Faculty union issues.
Community colleges are highly unionized.
There is also sometimes strong resistance by faculty to occupationally-oriented programs as these are sometimes viewed as diluting the academic mission of the college. As with the curriculum and accreditation issues, the union issues also push institutions in the direction of creating occupational programs one the noncredit side of the college. Entry requirements . Postsecondary institutions' entry requirements often exclude those without high school diplomas or GED's, or with lower than about tenth grade skills. Remedial or adult education services.