Media / News

A new beta version 1.0 web platform, www.mcclmi.com, was recently launched to estimate the middle-skills gaps within three upstate New York regions including Finger Lakes, Western New York, and Central New York, using labor market data from multiple big data providers. This platform is designed for workforce practitioners, educators, and economic developers, and uses MCC’s previously published report titled, Measuring Middle-Skills Occupational Gaps within the Finger Lakes Regional Economy, as a template for the data framework. Like the report, the platform uses a labor supply/labor demand analysis applied to middle-skills occupational groups from four workforce clusters: advanced manufacturing, applied technologies, information and computer technology, and health care. The sector analysis includes dashboards identifying and measuring educational attainment through a region’s capacity to produce certificate and degree completions against estimated annual openings for each middle-skills occupational group.

The point of the initiative is not measurement for measurement sake but making the information actionable and impactful, and to convene regional economic and workforce development collaborations that positively impact the community. To support this objective, a Regional Advisory Board that consists of economic developers, workforce practitioners, secondary and post-secondary educators, professional associations and community partners has been assembled. Their input and perspective continue to play a role in the development of the platform, and there is active discussion around collaboration opportunities. Currently, MCC is working with secondary education partners to roll-out several projects that integrate the web platform into their regular work in meaningful ways.

Additionally, the Monroe County division of Economic Development and Planning has embraced www.mcclmi.com as a tool to better develop data informed economic and workforce development programs. This is a major step in reaching the website objective to become the tool-of-record for the region in the development of economic development strategy and middle skills gap analyses.

Development of the platform was funded in part by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Regional Advisory Board. Pictured left to right, front row: Mike Mandina, Optimax; Lynn Fried, Workforce Development Institute; Joe Nairn, Finger Lakes Community College; Mike Woloson, Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board; Lee Koslow, RochesterWorks; Susan Allen, East Irondequoit School District; Carol Stehm, Gate-Chili School District; Karen Poland, Monroe-2 BOCES.  Back row: John Lisak, Monroe-1 BOCES; Chris Wiest, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce; Colleen DiMartino, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce; Keith Babuszczak, Rochester City School District; Jill Slavny, Monroe-2 BOCES; Joe Wesley, Wegmans; Todd Oldham, Monroe Community College; Joe Hamm, NYS Dept. of Labor; Kevin Kelley, Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association; Gloria Morgan, Rochester Educational Opportunity Center; Richard Fox, Finger Lakes Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise; Rich Turner, Monroe County Economic Development.

Not pictured: Karen Springmeier, Finger Lakes Workforce Investment Board; Matt Hurlbutt, Greater Rochester Enterprise; Steve Hyde, Genesee County Economic Development Center; Kent Gardner, Center for Governmental Research; Roosevelt Mareus, SUNY Brockport; Peter Pecor, RochesterWorks; Reid Smalley, Genesee Community College; Shaun Nelms, Rochester City School District; Bill Rotenberg, Monroe Community College/P-TECH; Paul Burke, Rochester City School District; Charles Dipasquale, Genesee Valley BOCES; Matt Flowers, Genesee Valley BOCES; Cherie Becker, Monroe-1 BOCES; Annette Christensen, Monroe-1 BOCES; Erin Fairben, Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES; Kathleen Richardson, Greece Central School District; Jon Sanfratello, Genesee Valley BOCES; Michele Sullivan, Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES.

MCC featured in January 8th issue of Industry Week

Monroe Community College (MCC) ranks as one of the most productive two-year colleges in the United States, according to a report recently released by Community College Week, a bi-weekly higher education newspaper.

The multi-campus college awarded 2,620 associate degrees in 2012-13, which places it among the top 2 percent of community colleges nationwide in terms of the number of graduates.

The college is 21st among the nation’s two-year colleges in the number of associate degrees awarded, up from 23rd last year. MCC has ranked among the nation’s top 100 community colleges for the past two decades. Data for the report comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics.

“Significantly, CC Week recognizes colleges purely by number of degrees awarded, regardless of institution size,” said MCC President Anne M. Kress. “While MCC is a large community college in New York, it is far smaller than many others across the country. That we rank so high on this list speaks to the quality of our College and the commitment of our faculty and staff.”

There are 1,132 community colleges that offer associate degrees in the United States, according to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

The State University of New York has five community colleges on the annual Top 100 list: Suffolk County Community College (ranked 10th); Nassau Community College (12th); MCC (21st); Erie Community College (32nd); and Hudson Valley Community College (44th).

###
Media Contact:
Cynthia Cooper
Marketing and Community Relations
585-292-3022
ccooper@monroecc.edu

Scholarship awards make college education affordable and accessible.

Starting in fall 2014, Monroe Community College will provide scholarships to economically disadvantaged high school students enrolled in dual enrollment courses taken at their high schools.

MCC’s new Inspiring Every Day scholarship program assists students in Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans and Wayne counties who are eligible for free or reduced lunch and participate in the dual enrollment program, which enables students to earn transferrable college credits while still in high school. MCC offers dual enrollment courses at 52 school and BOCES locations across the counties.

The scholarship awards cover students’ MCC tuition and fees for the semester. Students residing outside of Monroe County must complete a Certificate of Residency form as the scholarship does not cover out-of-county tuition charge.

Students interested in taking dual enrollment courses are advised to consult with their high schools before registering. Registration opens Sept. 10 through Oct. 1.

The scholarship program aims to increase opportunities for more high school students to get a jump-start on college. Upon high school graduation, students can use earned credits to accelerate their studies at MCC or at other colleges and universities. Research has shown that high school students who complete college coursework are more likely to graduate from high school and continue their college studies.

For more information about dual enrollment, call MCC at (585) 292-2135.

###
Media Contact:
Hency Yuen-Eng
Marketing and Community Relations
585-292-3063
hyuen-eng@monroecc.edu

BRIGHTON, N.Y. –Aug. 26, 2014- Monroe Community College is among 37 SUNY campuses that will receive state funding to educate and train students for high-demand careers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today.

MCC will receive more than $42,000 to expand its curriculum for cloud computing, allowing students to complete courses online toward a cybersecurity certificate. Students studying cloud computing learn to build, test, operate and maintain cloud-based, mobile-enhanced networking and security systems.

The funds are in addition to last year’s state award of nearly $170,000 to develop curriculum for cloud computing and to outfit an existing information and computer technologies laboratory with hardware and software needed to provide the education and training.

The curriculum is embedded in a cybersecurity certificate program that prepares students for employment as specialists in information assurance, network security and cybersecurity.

People who benefit from MCC’s cloud computing courses are students seeking to immediately enter the field as IT technicians, incumbent workers who want to upgrade their skills, and displaced workers looking to change careers. The courses also enable IT professionals to build on their skill sets and stay current with the growing demands and challenges of mobile technologies on computer networks and security.

The Finger Lakes region is projected to have approximately 410 job openings each year in areas related to computer security and information assurance.

###
Media Contact:
Hency Yuen-Eng
Marketing and Community Relations
585-292-3063
hyuen-eng@monroecc.edu