SMLR Info

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – The Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center today released a series of reports examining the “hidden innovative infrastructure” of America’s community colleges.

The research reveals that many two-year schools are driving innovation and job growth through advanced manufacturing and other high-tech industries, yet they are often overlooked in policy discussions about economic development, job training, and higher education.

Today’s reports are especially timely given the change and uncertainty in the labor market. The ongoing effort to revitalize American manufacturing and onshore production, and the rise of AI and automation, could require many workers to upskill in the years to come.

The findings suggest that community colleges are well-equipped to meet those needs.

“There’s a long history of not recognizing the vital role that community colleges can play,” said Michelle Van Noy, Director of the Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center. “They are very important to the manufacturing sector in many regions. If we want to build that sector and bring jobs back to the U.S., we cannot ignore the importance of what community colleges do.”

The research focuses on technician education programs covering hundreds of occupations and specialties, including electrical engineering, precision metal work, semiconductors, and many others that are critical to expanding American manufacturing capacity.

The flagship report looked at manufacturing programs in eight community colleges in Arizona, Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin, revealing that they are filling knowledge and coordination gaps among local manufacturers and acting as “innovation brokers” by linking their programs to the needs of local employers.

The report finds that some colleges are leading regional efforts to address industry workforce needs.

“Community colleges bring together employers and get them talking to one another,” Van Noy said. “That can create a broad set of connections across industries. In some cases, we see where the local community college even helped to recruit a new employer to the region.”

One of the accompanying reports zooms out, using federal data to assess whether the nation’s more than 1,000 community colleges are responsive to the labor market. If a new manufacturing facility opens in the county, or an existing employer has an urgent need for new skills, does the local community college create new courses and programs to train students for those jobs?

The report compares federal data on wages and employment for the years 2008 to 2017 with degree completion data in subsequent years. The findings were consistent across the board: whenever the labor market signaled that employers needed technicians with specific expertise, the local community college had higher enrollment in that field three, four, and five years later.

While the findings are only correlational, they suggest that America’s community colleges are doing a good job of adjusting their programs to meet industry needs. This responsiveness can reduce skill shortages and surpluses for employers, while helping students to find work and avoid periods of unemployment.

“Students want to know if they’re enrolling in a program that’s going to help them get a job quickly,” Van Noy said. “That’s more likely to happen if the college is aligned with the labor market.”

The reports make several recommendations

First, the researchers advise policymakers to include community colleges in economic planning discussions. If officials are trying to recruit a specific manufacturer to the region, or ramp up industrial development more broadly, the local community college can play a pivotal role.

Second, the researchers recommend that community college leaders establish connections with economic development professionals to assess how their regions will navigate anticipated technological change. For instance, the New York Times recently reported that Amazon is considering a plan to replace 600,000 jobs with robots by 2033. State and local officials should include community colleges when discussing how to offset the potential impact, Van Noy said.

Press Contact

Steve Flamisch
Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations
848.252.9011 (cell)
steve.flamisch@smlr.rutgers.edu

About the Research

The National Science Foundation supported this work. The Rutgers research team includes Michelle Van Noy (principal investigator), Marilyn Barger, Daniel Douglas, Allison Forbes, Alysa Hannon, William Mabe, Justin Vinton, and Andrew Weaver.

About Us

The Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) is the world’s leading source of expertise on managing and representing workers, designing effective organizations, and building strong employment relationships. 

SMLR’s Education and Employment Research Center (EERC) examines the intersection of education and work, serving as an evidence-based resource for policy and practice. 

###