Information Technology Career Preparation for Rural Areas

One component of postsecondary education needed for economic recovery and development relates to blue-collar industries, jobs requiring some postsecondary training but less than a four-year degree. The U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program provides funding for community colleges to partner with industry to deliver to unemployed/underemployed adults the education and training needed for high-demand blue-collar jobs, with stackable credentials and certificates as the framework. This study evaluated the impact of a Round 3 TAACCCT grant funded to a seven-institution community college consortium in Florida (XCEL-IT). Using a quasi-experimental design with matched samples, XCEL-IT students were nearly eight times as likely to complete training and over five times as likely to continue enrollment in other education relative to comparison students. Non-incumbent XCEL-IT completers were more than six times as likely to enter employment. Additional findings, conclusions, and implications for practice are provided.