Community College Enrollment Drop Threatens Labor Supply for Middle-Skill Jobs
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Community college enrollment is still recovering from a steep decline during the pandemic, which could lead to labor shortages in industries like healthcare and construction requiring technical training.
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Demand for middle-skill jobs requiring some postsecondary education but less than a bachelor’s degree is expected to hold steady or increase in fields like electrical work and truck driving.
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If enrollment declines persist, employers may struggle to find enough qualified workers, potentially limiting services offered or leading colleges to merge to cut costs.
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While jobs not needing degrees are plentiful now, fastest job growth is in roles requiring more education, meaning declining community college enrollment could become problematic.
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Financial pressures from enrollment declines have already led Connecticut's community colleges to merge into one institution to try to offer better programs while cutting costs.