- New Jersey college to open academy to serve adults with autism
- California system targets nursing shortages
- Iowa college among Career Z Challenge finalists
New Jersey college to open academy to serve adults with autism
New Jersey’s Brookdale Community College (BCC) recently officially launched its Achieve Academy for Adults with Autism, which will provide services and educational opportunities for adults with autism once they turn 21 years old and public school services end.
A collaborative effort of organizations and individuals — from businesses and unions, to politicians and local education leaders — helped to create the academy, which is expected to begin accepting clients in 2025, according to the college.
Professional football player and county resident Joseph Shimko of the Arizona Cardinals helped to raise $60,000 for the center through his foundation. Meanwhile, Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) assisted in securing a federal $400,000 grant to furnish the building and purchase necessary fixtures. Steve Leone, principal of Spiezle Architectural Group, donated all his work to the building.
“This project has been a labor of love for so many of us. It’s incredible to see it finally come to life and to know that it will make a real difference in the lives of these adults and their families,” Thomas A. Arnone, who serves on the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners, said in a release.
The academy aims to fill a gap that exists when individuals with autism age out of public services. It can be particularly challenging and costly for families to find high-quality continuing education programs and securing essential services, such as speech, occupational, physical and behavioral therapies, according to BCC. The Achieve Academy will provide comprehensive support and resources to help adults with autism thrive in their communities. It also will provide the skills training and job coaching the adults need to live on their own or with the help of an aide.
“Brookdale has several pathways for individuals with developmental disabilities, and we can begin funneling students from those programs into the Achieve Academy,” said President David Stout. “Our specialty in academics allows us to develop certificate programs and degrees to support the clients of the academy. Whether it’s training behavior analysts or technicians, we can build certificate programs to support this initiative.”
California system targets nursing shortages
The California Community Colleges (CCC) has launched a new project to meet a growing need in the state for registered nurses, especially in rural and remote areas.
The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office has named 12 community colleges that will participate in the pilot to increase enrollment in associate degree nursing programs across the state. The focus on rural and remote areas follows regional data that show greater nurse shortages in those areas.
The project will establish a statewide blueprint to boost nursing associate degree production through a collaborative approach with stakeholders, according to CCC. It will also support incumbent workers by developing flexible pathways into nursing programs that open opportunities to career advancement and higher incomes.
CCC says the pilot program will involve strategies, including:
- Integration of simulation labs to enhance hands-on learning experiences.
- Strategic scheduling processes to accommodate diverse student needs, including accelerated and fast-track programs, year-round schedules and admission timelines and evening cohorts.
- Increase in night rotations to provide flexible clinical experiences.
- Increase in hospital-based faculty members to expand program capacity and enrich educational experience for students.
Iowa college among Career Z Challenge finalists
Kirkwood Community College (Iowa) is among the finalists for the U.S. Education Department’s Career Z Challenge, a competition to expand high school students’ access to high-quality work-based learning (WBL).
Kirkwood’s Workplace Learning Connection is a regional intermediary that coordinates WBL experiences for more than 30,000 students in 32 public school districts, according to a summary of the finalists. Students get to explore career options through activities such speaker events and career fairs, to job shadow and internship opportunities.
Key to its efforts are partnerships with the area education agency, local school districts, chambers and economic development groups and local businesses. Employer sponsors include BAE Systems, Collins Aerospace and Greater Cedar Rapids Area Foundation, among others.
The finalists–who were selected from 73 semi-finalists–will receive technical assistance to accelerate the expansion and sustainability of their work-based learning efforts during Phase 3 of the competition. Finalists who complete this part will be eligible to receive a prize award of $150,000.
