Economic Development/
Contract Education 

BENEFITS OF CONTRACT EDUCATION

Contract Education expands the services of the traditional community college system by providing rapid-response customized training solutions to employers who seek to maintain and increase the productivity of their workforce. Contract education delivers innovative and responsive training, assessment, and consulting services that meet the economic and workforce development needs of the Inland Empire, Victor Valley, Barstow, Coachella, Twenty-Nine Palms, Temecula Valley, and Blythe employers. 

Contract education is uniquely positioned to respond quickly and effectively to employer training needs and deliver customized introductory, advanced, and lifelong skills training to incumbent workers to stay competitive in their 30-40 year careers.  Contract education programs offer economic prosperity and vitality through training new skills to meet specialized skillsets with a specific focus on frontline, entry-level, and low- to middle-skilled workers whose jobs are at risk of being disrupted and in which skills are continuously updated during the working life to match changing skills needs. Upskilling incumbent workers allows businesses to promote within offering wage progression and livable wages while expanding by hiring more frontline workers which is beneficial for the retention of local employers and a healthier economy.

In addition, contract education provides customized business-specific entry-level and employability skills to marginalized and neglected populations, historically underrepresented residents, individuals with barriers to employment, justice-involved, unemployed, underemployed, and entrepreneurs within our community. Contract education gives these community members and students the tools to learn introductory skills, to inspire and empower them to find their passions, connect them to career pathways, work towards developing a maker mindset, learn to think critically and problem solve, and to help our community not only to grow, but also to thrive.  Many times, contract education is the positive community college first touch for individuals with barriers to education and employment.

Educational opportunities can range from short-term training seminars to long-term training programs. Instruction can take place either at the workplace or in classrooms, labs, or in the field.

• • • Contract education can serve individuals enrolled or not enrolled in college.

    • Business partnerships can lead to student internships, apprenticeships, and faculty tours.

    • As a bridge to industry, local employers can reciprocate as curriculum advisors.

    • Stackable and industry-recognized certificates can be delivered to both on- and off-site locations.

    • A newly proposed for-credit module can be quickly beta-tested in a not-for-credit format.

    • Not-for-credit can help kick-start new credit and noncredit programs by offering training while the program is in development, provide program knowledge and marketing, and develop business relationships.

    • Not-for-credit training is useful for non-sustainable customized training.

    • Not-for-credit can be quickly adapted to the unique needs of an employer; content, length, and hours per day.