PHOENIX – Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) is joining the Unlocking Opportunity initiative, a program that aims to increase post-grad wages for students.
The initiative is a part of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, bringing together 55 colleges across the nation to improve student outcomes, including PVCC, Chandler-Gilbert Community College and GateWay Community College.
How will PVCC increase post-grad wages?
The schools will work on existing programs over three years, identifying a livable wage in the area and then adjusting programs to help students reach that wage level after graduating.
Dr. Eddie Lamperez with PVCC said the goal is to change lower-opportunity programs into ones that supply students with the skills needed to earn a livable wage after completion.
“Unlocking opportunity focuses on post-completion outcomes. So, it is really focused on ensuring that students complete a program that pays a living wage,” Lamperez said. “Because we know that students come to our college because they want to live the American dream. They want to improve their lives.”
Some programs offered at PVCC include nursing and cyber-security.
Lamperez added over the three years, the college will also work to construct foundations for different programs, increasing student opportunities as well as wages, building the school to workforce pipeline further.
“There’s really two pillars of a really good program,” Lamperez said. “One is there needs to be a market need. The market has to have demand for that program, but you (also) have to have student demand. Students have to want to go into that field.”
Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.
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