Mt. Hood Community College is excited to announce that the Department of Education awarded the college $100,000 through the Rethink Adult Ed Challenge. This award will fund new pre-apprenticeship programs to help English language learners build academic,
language and workplace skills. Through the programs, MHCC will provide career pathways to immigrants, refugees and adults learning English, while meeting local industry employment surges.
“Mt. Hood Community College serves one of the most diverse college districts in Oregon, and we have been challenged to rethink how we approach higher education to meet the community’s needs in better ways,” said MHCC President Dr. Lisa Skari. “A pre-apprenticeship
program will bridge the gap between students who are working on their English skills and the apprenticeship programs that lead to family wage jobs.”
Pre-apprenticeship Programs Work
Apprenticeships expand career opportunities, but many adult learners face barriers to accessing them. Pre-apprenticeships break down these barriers by helping adults enter, prepare for, and succeed
in apprenticeships and other industry roles.
Several U.S. Department of Labor case studies show the success of pre-apprenticeship programs. For example, 90 percent of participants in the Boston-based
Building Pathways pre-apprenticeship training program were people of color, and nearly 80 percent of graduates entered apprenticeship programs or industry-related
employment.
“These opportunities have the potential to drive greater and more diverse participation in apprenticeships and the broader workforce,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in his announcement of the challenge winners. “This challenge received an overwhelming response, proving the demand for training opportunities that are responsive to the evolving needs of American businesses and our adult learners.”
Rethink Adult Ed Challenge
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education launched the Rethink Adult Ed Challenge. This challenge
invited adult education providers that are funded by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act to design innovative and high-quality pre-apprenticeship programs. The programs could be in any industry, anywhere in the U.S. The Challenge’s winner
received $750,000, the first runner up received $200,000, and the challenge’s following three runners up received $100,000 awards.
The Rethink Adult Ed Challenge is part of a series of prize competitions that aim to spur development of new technology, products, and resources that will prepare students for high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand careers.
Learn more about apprenticeship programs at MHCC: mhcc.edu/apprenticeship.