Gavilan Joint Community College District
Preparing Students for a Successful Future
Gavilan College honored as Strong Workforce Star
for career programs that get results
W
hen students have specifi c career goals in mind,
such as accounting, or nursing, they need good
career training programs to help them enter and
succeed in their desired fi eld.
This month the career programs at Gavilan College
were recognized as California Community Colleges’
Strong Workforce Stars for their success in leading students
to jobs in their chosen fields, and increased earnings.
“We are very proud of the success our graduates are
achieving in employment, earnings gains, and regional
living wages,” said Dr. Kathleen Rose, Superintendent /
President of Gavilan College, “thanks to the fantastic work
of Dean Sherrean Carr and the career education staff.”
Strong Workforce Stars is an annual recognition
for career education programs within the California
Community Colleges system, recognizing programs whose
graduates show significant gains in earnings, attainment
of a living wage, and a job closely matched with their
chosen field of study.
The Accounting program won a Gold Star
for achieving all three metrics. Seventy-three percent of
the students (last enrolled in 2015-2016) who earned a
certificate or degree have realized an increase in earnings
of 50 percent or more. 71 percent of the students attained
the regional living wage and 100 percent of students are
employed in a job similar to their field of study.
Jason Wolowitz, the faculty member for the program,
credits the academic rigor of the classes and the exposure
to real-world situations. “There are things you can learn
that aren’t in the textbook,” he explained. Wolowitz,
who is himself a CPA, employs a “flipped classroom”
approach, in which class time is dedicated to working
through problems, and the students read material on
their own.
Two programs—in Nursing, and Administration of
Justice—were awarded Silver Stars for achieving two of
the metrics. Students in the LVN to RN Career Ladder
program realized a whopping 292 percent increase
in earnings with 73 percent of students attaining the
regional living wage. 93 percent of Administration of
Justice students earning degrees and certificates in Law
Enforcement, Option 2 attained the regional living wage
and 100 percent of the graduates are employed in a job
similar to their field of study.
Five programs earned Bronze Stars for attaining one
of the success metrics: Cosmetology was recognized for
placing 100 percent of their graduates in jobs similar to
their field of study. Water and Wastewater Technology
saw 77 percent of students attain the regional living
wage. In Licensed Vocational Nursing, 90 percent
of students saw an increase in earnings. In Computer
Programming, 69 percent of students saw and increase in
earnings, and in Administration of Justice, 91 percent of
students attained the regional living wage.
For more information about Gavilan College’s Career Education programs,
go to http://www.gavilan.edu/academic/cte/index.php.
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JUNE/JULY 2018
gmhtoday.com