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Public Relations and Marketing | Published Sep 23, 2021
College of Lake County (CLC) received the federal Career and Technical Education (CTE) Perkins grant from the Illinois Community College Board worth $508,740 for the 2022 fiscal year. The grant, which CLC receives annually, goes towards CTE programs that put students directly into high skill, high demand and high wage occupations in the workplace following program completion.
These courses are industry-driven, with updated and current competency-based curricula that receive input from employers in the workforce in Lake County. Doing so makes sure students have the skills employers look for once students enter the field.
“We make sure classes are in line with current market needs,” said Dr. Arlene Santos-George, Dean of Adult Education and ESL and the Perkins grant administrator. “By talking to experts, we learn of changes in the competencies expected of our students.”
The money received goes towards instructional and student support personnel costs that directly impact and promote the CTE programs and adult education transition to CTE programs.
“The Perkins grant is very purposeful in its support of workforce preparations and the development of career pathways students pursue to earn credentials of value,” Santos-George said. “Support services are funded because they directly impact the students. The grant is a stable source of revenue to pay for lab assistants and tutors who work with the students.”
The Perkins grant also supports various dual-credit programs. A major purpose of the grant is to provide a continuum of CTE programming from high school to post-secondary to the workforce, strengthening career pathways for the students and the community.
“If students take dual-credit courses in high school, it accelerates the rate they finish their degree at CLC,” Santos-George said. “This gets them working even faster.”
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation.