The second instructional and service priority is transfer education, including general academic transfer programs or applied technology and occupational programs that may be applicable to the first two years of a bachelor's degree program, and, when necessary, foundations education, which includes developmental and remedial education. The fourth instructional and service priority of the community colleges is applied research. Community colleges governing boards and the Coordinating Commission, through the established program review process, evaluate existing and proposed new career programs to determine if they comply with institutional objectives, meet student and State needs, and whether they constitute unnecessary duplication. Existing programs at private career institutions will be considered by the Commission in this process. The community colleges coordinate with other public and private institutions within their geographic service areas in providing continuing education to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Many students choose community colleges with the desire to achieve or improve employability quickly.
They want specific, job-oriented training that will lead directly to employment or will upgrade their knowledge and skills. Employment-related courses, complemented by a solid core of general education courses, give community college students the opportunity to enter the workforce and advance successfully in their chosen careers. Students also attend community colleges to complete their first and second years and then transfer to a four-year institution to complete their baccalaureate degree. Significant progress has been made in articulation between community colleges and other Nebraska postsecondary education institutions to facilitate this process. Community colleges serve as feeder institutions into four-year colleges and universities through their academic transfer programs.