Education makes a workforce greeat

Education makes a workforce great

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE, CLIFF WILLIAMS & AUDRA SPEARS

Every community needs organizations that move relentlessly toward a great future, and through the eyes of its president, Jeff Lynn, Central Alabama Community College concentrates all of its energy and resources on that mission.

Lynn took the reins as acting president at CACC two years ago with a single-minded vision, to renew the school’s role as a difference-maker in the community. Within a month, he was named interim president, and he stepped into the fulltime role of president last year.

“Community college can make a difference in a person’s life, a company’s life, a family’s life, a community’s life,” Lynn said.

Working toward that goal requires the pursuit of progress through myriad routes, from infrastructure to academics, economic development and beyond. Lynn hit the ground running in June 2020 with a review of the campus facilities and has attached infrastructure upgrades to a pending bond issue.

“We had a staff meeting recently, and I looked around at the really good team of folks we have who just go above and beyond to bring up the quality of what they do, and I just think we need to get the facilities looking as good as they do. I told them we need to raise the standards for the facilities up to where they are,” said Lynn.

A thorough needs assessment suggested improvements in a number of campus buildings and classroom resources, but Lynn – a self-professed man of little patience – was not content to focus on the infrastructure alone. He took a broad view of education and defined student demographics and needs, threw himself

Early exposure to career options helps keep students in school

CACC is an economic driver for the community and the workforce Dual enrollment prepares high school students for jobs and further education

into local economic development and partnered with local school systems to improve future outcomes for students, whether they expected to enter the work force after high school or continue their educations through two-year, four-year or graduate studies.

“The sad statistic today in Alabama is that on average, 40 percent of high school graduates do not enter the military or continue their education in college. We need to get better at that projection, but we also need to educate those graduates about the great careers available to them and give them options,” Lynn said.

CACC is in an excellent position to act as a transition crossroads from high school to college or the local workforce by partnering with local schools and fouryear colleges and universities.

“K-through-12 schools are our biggest partner, and being a good partner for them is critical for our community,” he said.

In middle schools across the area, students are invited to attend career options events that present to them a spectrum of future paths they might one day choose. The programs are designed to encourage students to recognize the future value of their educations and to stay in school. Then, dual enrollment in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades better prepares students for the choices available to them, Lynn explained.

“We are second in the state for dual enrollment, which better prepares students for the future, whether they are entering the workforce or continuing their education at two-year or four-year schools,” he said.

“And adult education is there for those who missed the opportunity during or after high school. The com-

Postive relationships with teachers helps students get the most out of their education at every age

munity college student demographic is anywhere from age 16 to age 80. We meet students where they are, and we take them to where they need to be so they are successfully employed. We are proud of that.”

Getting students to that level of success requires taking the time to focus on their needs and helping them navigate the path, Lynn noted. In addition, he is forging relationships and programs with selected four-year institutions to further student’s education options – and scholarship opportunities – while they are enrolled at CACC.

“We are working on articulation agreements for students that want to take their education on to a four-year school. We want to have great opportunities for their scholarships, so they will have good, successful transitions. About 63 percent of our students get some kind of financial aid, so we want to make sure those opportunities are available for them,” he said.

A low student/teacher ratio is one of the best tools community colleges offer in fulfillment of the vision to

In addition to transitioning students to four-year colleges, CACC trains tech and adult students for trades and local jobs prepare students for the future. “That lets instructors focus on materials that larger classrooms cannot, whether it is a dual enrollment, traditional or adult student. We think we have a lot of really bright, sharp students in the rural areas we serve.” Retaining those bright students is important to the cities and towns surrounding Lake Martin, Lynn added. Investing in children’s education enhances the community’s future, as it prepares a workforce at every level of business and industry. Another important avenue for student’s success is the partnership of education with the local business and industrial community, working closely to develop curriculum and professional relationships that can lead to jobs for students. “The community college is and should be an economic driver for the community and for the workforce. That’s how we make the future great.”