By Varsovia Fernandez, chair of the board of trustees at Montgomery County Community College
The conversation around diversity, equity and inclusion in the U.S. has intensified in recent years and begun to shift. Today, diversity concerns more than just gender, race and ethnicity. The concept now extends to age, religion, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, culture, disability and more.
While this growing awareness and discussion demonstrates positive momentum, the fact remains that certain groups of people still do not benefit from the same opportunities as others – especially when it comes to pursuing higher education and high-paying careers. This lack of progress is in direct contradiction to numerous reports that find diversity is a key driver of growth, innovation and retention for businesses, proving that building a diverse workforce is a business imperative.
The Philadelphia area is full of diversity, overflowing with different perspectives and fueling a diverse workforce that drives growth and prosperity in the region. It’s up to our communities to nurture and uplift those different perspectives. To build diverse workforces, we need greater investments in access to education, training and career development opportunities for people of all backgrounds.
Community colleges can offer a route forward for all people regardless of their circumstances, and these institutions are well-suited to help close the opportunity gap for our region’s citizens and advance diversity in the local workforce.
More people from diverse backgrounds are pursuing higher education than ever before, and community colleges are a key resource in helping all types of students overcome barriers to a better future. At Montgomery County Community College, we know this to be true, and as we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we remain committed to unlocking opportunities for all students.
While cost can often be a significant hurdle to higher education, community colleges are significantly less expensive than traditional four-year universities, making them more affordable to all groups. Even more importantly though, community colleges offer a fast track to leadership positions in high-paying careers, opening the door to a better life for students and their families.
As vital centers of their communities, community colleges have strong relationships with local employers, allowing them to align curriculum with local economic needs and better position students for job placement upon graduation. Community colleges focus on skill-building and career training, leveraging workforce development programs, such as the MontcoWorks Apprenticeship Program for Information Technology, as an efficient way to guide students not just to jobs but to lasting careers. These programs are designed to offer students employment opportunities in high-demand positions with family-sustainable wages, and to build a strong pipeline of diverse workers for local employers.
Community college can also serve as a strong steppingstone for students with the goal of earning a bachelor’s degree. Transferring to four-year colleges is simple, and students quickly acclimate thanks to the high-quality education provided by community colleges.
It’s time to shift our focus to the role community colleges play as vital connectors for a diverse cross section of our population to greater prosperity and happiness through education, support services and employment opportunities. While the barriers to higher education are different from one person to the next, its value remains the same for people of all backgrounds. Community colleges are the key to unlocking a diverse, inclusive and prosperous future for our communities.
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The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, The Philadelphia Sunday SUN, the author’s organization, committee or other group or individual.
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