- California colleges to study shortened programs
- Louisiana’s first aviation maintenance apprenticeship program
- Utah college, USA Climbing partner to support athletes
California colleges to study shortened programs
A new project will examine the benefits of shortened academic programs in opening access and flexibility to more California community college students. It also will propose ways to scale promising practices.
The California Community Colleges (CCC) and the Success Center at the Foundation for California Community Colleges will study how courses of eight weeks or less (instead of the traditional 16 to 17 weeks) offer more opportunities for students, especially working learners and student parents.
“We understand that many of our students need flexibility on their paths to college, and we hope this project will showcase how this flexible modality better meets the needs of students,” says Nadia Leal-Carillo, executive director of policy development and research at the Success Center. “By learning from practitioners who have successfully implemented shortened courses, we intend to support the expansion of system strategies to make higher education more equitable and attainable for all Californians.”
The organizations plan to research existing shortened courses at California’s community colleges to determine the kinds of courses and programs that use the format and assess students’ success in these courses compared to students in traditional length courses. The partners also will create a community of practice of about 20 colleges, which will each receive a minimum grant of $20,000, as well as resources and guidance to implement shortened courses in full programs.
The participating colleges will have flexibility in selecting the programs involved — whether for career education or transfer — based on the unique needs of their students and regional economic context, according to a foundation spokesperson. The goal is to get the colleges to implement shortened courses within an entire program rather than offering only a few shortened courses.
A series of case studies on selected colleges will outline promising practices as well as challenges to implementing shortened courses, as well as recommendations to the state system — which represents 116 colleges — on ways to scale promising practices.
The project, which is funded by Ascendium Education Group, runs until October 2027.
Louisiana’s first aviation maintenance apprenticeship program
To help meet a high demand for aviation maintenance technicians in the state, the Louisiana Workforce Commission State Apprenticeship Council recently approved the launch of the state’s first aviation maintenance apprenticeship program.
The two-year apprenticeship will connect aviation maintenance students at SOWELA Technical Community College with a paid apprenticeship at Citadel Completions. Participating students will receive on-the-job training and the opportunity to secure a full-time position following graduation. Apprentices start at $22/hour with raises as they earn additional certifications through SOWELA’s program. After completing the program, and if offered a full-time position at Citadel Completions, new graduates may receive an increase in pay of $29/hour.
Currently, SOWELA has 45 aviation maintenance students.
“This is another great example of industry partnering with education to develop a skilled and qualified workforce. As I always state, SOWELA is in the workforce development business and this apprenticeship program provides our Aviation Program students a great opportunity to “earn while they learn” with the potential for a great career in the Aviation industry,” says SOWELA Chancellor Neil Aspinwall. “Citadel is a great company, and I appreciate their willingness to strengthen their partnership with the College through this one-of-a-kind apprenticeship program.”
Utah college, USA Climbing partner to support athletes
Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) will waive tuition for a limited time to USA Climbing (USAC) national team athletes who are training for international competitions and the 2028 Olympics.
The agreement between SLCC and USAC offers a tuition waiver for up to 12 consecutive semesters, running through at least the 2028 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles, according to the college.
USAC athletes will also have access to a variety of physical assessments through faculty expertise and resources in the college’s exercise science program. The partnership mirrors a similar agreement SLCC has had with the US Speedskating team since 2018, the college says.
“We are thrilled about the benefits that this partnership will provide to our athletes. In working directly with SLCC’s Exercise Science Department, our climbers will have access to state-of-the-art assessments and analyses to help them perform at the highest level,” says USAC CEO Marc Norman. “Additionally, SLCC’s scholarships will empower national team athletes to more easily pursue academic journeys without sacrificing their athletic commitments.”
SLCC is no stranger to students and alumni who are Olympians. Most recently, alumnus Erin Jackson earned a gold medal in speedskating at the 2022 Olympics. Utah will host the 2034 Olympics.
