Community College Pathways

This 27-page paper was written by Melinda Mechur Karp and discusses sub-associate degrees offered by community colleges. These degrees are examined in terms of stand-alone impact and in connection to a broader education and training system. This resource includes the following sections:

1. Statement of the Problem: There are many avenues to producing skilled technical workers in the United States, but no clear system for doing so.
2. Creating a U.S. middle-skills training system: The role of community colleges.
3. Focusing on certificates and certifications: Rationale and methodology.
4. Research on intermediate credentials: a. Certificates, b. Certifications, and c. Challenges in assessing the impact of certificates and certifications.
5. Reflections on the evidence: Community college pathways could be leveraged to create a coherent advanced technical education system.
6. Implications for policy, recommendations and conclusions: a. Support data and research, b. Continue to encourage tighter coupling, and c. Focus on system-building.