Many employers assume that community college graduates will be unable to advance in their careers, she adds. Lyle Brown, a recruiting manager at EDP Contract Services in Austin, Texas, agrees. Even Jones is aware of the ceiling he may encounter. That's why he says he plans to transfer his credits to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where he will take classes to complete a bachelor's degree. Some companies that like to hire community college graduates are now trying to pitch in to help improve the quality their local schools can offer particularly addressing the common complaint that community colleges lack top-notch equipment for students to use.
Leach says many community colleges increase internships to make up for a shortage of equipment.
Students are placed at companies that have the servers and software that schools lack. Some technology companies are helping by providing curriculum assistance as well as equipment. Microsoft Corp., for example, provides lesson plans and instructional resources at an online site for community colleges. Three years ago, the company launched a mentor program to train community college faculty in teaching Microsoft software skills. Cisco Systems Inc., Novell Inc. and Oracle Corp. also have strong relationships with two-year schools.