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| An Introduction to Community, Career Colleges and Trade Schools in Seattle | ||||||||||
An Introduction to Community Colleges, Career Colleges and Trade Schools in Seattle | ||||||||||
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By Catherine L. Behrendt Contributing Writer - SeattleSchools.com April 8, 2005 |
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 Seattle is known for fish flying through the Pike Place Market, the Space Needle and ferry rides on Puget Sound. While such attractions are an important part of the local scene, Seattle is also a hotbed of educational opportunities designed to train students for lifelong careers.
Seattle educational experts agree that post-secondary education and training are critical to those seeking to establish meaningful careers. But that doesn't necessarily mean all students should go the traditional four-year college route, says Suzy Ames, director of communications for the Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges (CTC board). "It's important for students to realize that the four-year track is not the end-all, be-all to having a fulfilling career," Ames says. "Sometimes students and parents get all wrapped up in that idea, but in reality, on a national basis, only 19 percent of all jobs actually require a bachelor's degree, while 41 percent require an associate's degree." In Washington State, more than 75 percent of Washington's workforce enters occupations that do not require a four-year degree, says Tana Stenseng, spokesperson for the Workforce Training & Education Coordinating Board (Workforce Board), which regulates private trade schools in the state. "We provide advocacy for these people to go on for training after high school. It doesn't have to be college," Stenseng says. "Some people don't need a college education or are not suited for it, but they can have successful careers if they seek the appropriate training." Stenseng notes that she recently counseled a student whose parents were pushing him to attend college. "But college just wasn't for him. He told me 'I was born to get my hands dirty.' And if that's what makes him happy, gives him fulfillment, than we try to advocate. We aim to make sure students are better-prepared for their chosen careers."
Educational Options in Greater Seattle
There are literally "a ton" of educational opportunities at the community and technical college level in the greater Seattle area, as well as in the private trade school sector, Ames reports.
Seattle and King County offer private, public and specialty trade school options to those seeking career training at the community and career/trade college level. Indeed, the goal of the CTC board is to ensure that all potential students have open access to educational opportunities under three separate missions - transfer students, workforce development, and adult literacy. Programs at CTC board-governed schools are designed to "guide the workforce to train in a specific industry, with different programs potentially offering unique angles," Ames says.
In the city proper, the CTC board governs four public schools serving more than 28,000 students: North Seattle Community College, South Seattle Community College, South Central Community College and the Seattle Vocational Institute. The Seattle Community College system additionally offers an online Distance Learning program for those seeking to attain Associate's Degrees without battling the Seattle traffic. There are dozens more community and technical colleges in the larger King County area, including those that are part of the CTC board system of 34 schools in the state.
Meanwhile, the Workforce Board regulates private trade schools under a state law passed in 1986 that requires trade schools to be licensed. The Workforce Board licenses 250 career schools annually; the licenses are additionally subject to annual review. Trade schools additionally can be accredited, which allows students eligibility to apply for financial aid, explains Stenseng.
The city of Seattle offers a round-up of institutions of higher learning which covers schools, the number of students enrolled and web site links, and includes: the Seattle Community Colleges system, the Art Institute of Seattle and the Cornish College of the Arts. The Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board site offers a comprehensive list of Washington schools, including community, technical and business colleges.
Choosing the Right School & Program
Students typically make school choices based on a combination of factors, including geography and need, says Ames. Programs at the county's technical colleges are designed to "guide the workforce to train in a specific industry, with different programs potentially offering unique angles."
State residents are automatically eligible to attend any of CTC board-governed schools, but due to travel-time issues, geography comes into play. "In Seattle, we have horrible traffic. We measure trips in minutes (and sometimes hours), not miles. You simply can't get to a college 20 miles away on a regular basis. It's not practical," Ames says.
Selecting an educational program should include a careful study of the coursework and concentrations available to make sure what is learned will fit in with your career goals - both CTC and the Workforce Board offer career guides.
The Workforce Board brochure "Where Are You Going?" is among the most popular of this organization's offerings. It distributes 250,000 of the pamphlets annually, including those sent to high school guidance counselors. The booklet offers not only listings of schools, but also assessment tools to help students determine their career and educational goals. The booklet lets students scan occupations (baker, barber, watch repairer), look up where to get training for each in Washington state, and details a sense of the employment outlook for each career.
To succeed in your educational goals, "Really look at what you want to do. Realize who you are, what talents you have," Stenseng urges. "Perhaps your parents want you to become a lawyer. But is that what interests you? Seek your education in a field that feels right to you, that offers an outlet for your passion."
In recognition of the ongoing growth of the city and its traffic issues, the CTC board has made it a priority to develop additional community colleges to serve individual areas and communities. The most recent addition was in 2002 with the CTC board-governed Seattle Vocational Institute (SVI), which notes on its web site that it "aims to provide basic skills, vocational and workforce training opportunities through short-term, self-contained programs that lead to jobs with a future." SVI programs include medical, dental, construction, various computer based offerings, and more.
Admissions to CTC board-governed schools have a simplified process - all are open admissions, on a first-come, first-served basis. Students with previous college credit should bring transcripts when applying. The admissions process for credit courses includes an application for admission, undergoing placement testing for math and English classes, meeting with an advisor, and registration.
Admission to SVI is open to students with a high school diploma or the General Education Development (GED) certificate and anyone who is at least 18 years old and is able to benefit from the college's curriculum. Applications are accepted on a continuing basis; admission is required for students pursuing a Certificate of Completion in a vocational training program. However, admission standards vary by program; visit the web site for information on specific program requirements.
Students at CTC board-governed schools can work towards a certificate in a particular field, and can build on the certificate training to pursue a two-year specialty associate's degree. Academic-based associate degrees are also available as part of the system's transfer program. Academic associate degrees are transferable to all four-year public colleges in the state, while technical associate degrees may not directly transfer.
The post-secondary educational needs each of a student will depend on the career sought. Traditional associate degrees, career-oriented certificates and specialized training are all options. Career-oriented schools typically offer certificates and diplomas; community colleges offer specialized diplomas and two-year associate degrees; and online programs, which can be extensions of bricks and mortar educational institutions or for-profit entities, offer a combination of skill sets.
"Our community and technical colleges strive to offer the programs that get students careers in the workforce," Ames says.
When investigating educational opportunities, check accreditation, particularly if you want to apply for financial aid or may transfer schools. There are two types of accreditation: one for schools and one for individual educational programs. U.S. colleges and universities are accredited by one of the regional accreditation organizations recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. For a program to be accredited, faculty and curriculum are investigated by a professional organization in the field and found to meet its standards for preparing practitioners of the field.
Hot Educational Fields in Greater Seattle
The greater Seattle area is home to major corporations, including technology giant Microsoft, on-line pioneer Amazon.com, and the ubiquitous coffee purveyor - Starbucks.
More than 17,000 Washington employers had difficulty finding workers with more than one, but less than four years of postsecondary education in 2003, according to Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Works, a recent Workforce Board report. Industries most affected included health care, construction, and information technology, where more than 5,000 openings existed for registered nurses, carpenters, and computer support specialists.
Seattle and the greater King County area were among the top three regions where employers reported difficulties finding qualified applicants in a recent Workforce Board employer survey. "The state has a serious shortage of skilled labor," reports the Workforce Board's Stenseng.
The Workforce Board notes some of the most common jobs filled by workers trained at community and technical colleges, average monthly salaries and openings per year as:
The need for skilled workers is expected to continue to rise. By 2007, The Workforce Board reports Washington employers are expected to need 28,600 new workers annually with more than one, but less than four years of postsecondary education; the number is expected to jump to 29,700 employees needed by 2010. Meanwhile, the state's community and technical colleges, private career schools and apprenticeship programs prepare about 23,600 such new workers per year - a shortfall of more than 6,100 workers annually in 2010.
Nursing and allied health programs are the number one field students in the CTC board-governed system choose to go into, and, as a result, programs often have waiting lists. "Enrollment is limited to ensure the educational quality," Ames says.
Whatever field students plan to seek a career in, Ames notes one common factor: "Seattle employers want their employees to be creative, critical thinkers for whatever industry they are going into," she says. "Job training is very significant in this economy. With the education they receive at the community college and technical college level, students can get jobs that pay well, jobs that they can turn into a lifetime career."
Job placement services are offered at the individual colleges, with many offering the availability of interest screening tests for those who are unsure about their future employment goals, therefore may not know which field of study to pursue, Ames says.
For a list of the top 15 public companies in greater Seattle, including links to corporate web sites, visit Seattle.gov.
Financing Your Education
Financing your education can seem like an obstacle, but, in tandem with federal and state loans, grants and tuition waiver programs, higher education can be an affordable goal. In-state tuition at CDC-board governed schools is $2,142 annually; coursework is offered on the quarter system, and works out to roughly $66 per credit.
Choosing the school and determining your financial commitment can be one and the same. But don't let the potential price tag get in the way of your career goals. The U.S. Department of Education will provide about 70 percent of all student aid ($67 billion) to help pay for postsecondary education this year. More than 10 million students apply for aid annually, and roughly 9 million receive a grant or loan. See the FAFSA site for more information or to apply for federal financial aid online.
Schools also offer financial aid and scholarship information at their individual web sites and through admissions and financial aid departments. For instance, SVI offers regular workshops to address tuition assistance.
Many students are eligible for Federal Hope Scholarship & Lifetime Learning Tax Credits. For Seattle community colleges, choose your campus affiliation to review available 2004 tax credits: North Seattle Community College; Seattle Central Community College; South Seattle Community College; Seattle Vocational Institute and download IRS form 8863.
One scholarship program available to residents is the Washington Award for Vocational Excellence (WAVE). The equivalent of two years of tuition at a four-year college, WAVE awards are given to outstanding students in technical programs -- three winners per district in the state, two at the high school and one at the community college level.
Employers are another source of funding. Faced with a shortage of skilled workers, employers in Washington State have increased their own training investment, according to the Workforce Board. A majority of firms (59 percent) surveyed recently said they had provided or paid for some classroom training-up almost 10 percent from the 2001 survey-due to changes in technology, the need to improve worker productivity, and an effort to develop a more flexible workforce.
Education Statistics for Seattle
For more details on the ins and outs of Seattle and the surrounding area, visit Seattle.gov.
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The CTC Careers Brochure offers a list of the community and technical colleges and the individual programs offered at each. "It's a very popular brochure, typically updated annually to reflect changes in specific program offerings," Ames says.
The Workforce Board report further notes that community and technical college training pays. Students who complete a job preparatory program at a community or technical college earn an average of $22,281 a year, three quarters after exiting from the program, or $12.80 an hour. They are also likely to have an annual income that's $6,000 more a year compared to those who do not go on to some form of training after high school.