Community+College+Education


 * Connecting People with Nature Indicators**
 * //Parks & Nature Recreation//** :: Natural Area Recreation :: Proximity to Parks
 * //Environmental Education//** :: Environmental Education Centers :: Community Colleges :: State Curriculum
 * //Environmental Choices//** :: Green Buildings :: Transportation Choices :: Waste and Recycling Practices

=** Community College Education Programs **=


 * What is this? **

Community colleges provide an accessible option for Triangle residents seeking to pursue careers or continuing education options in their community. During times of economic recession community colleges see increased enrollment numbers as people try to expand their career options and paths. Environmental education programs allow people to impact their community’s environmental health by training them for jobs in the environmental field.


 * Why is this important? **

The number of students enrolled in environmental degree and certificate programs can be used as an indicator of a community's environmentally focused job market. Students in these programs are being trained to work in fields that affect directly the state of the environment. An increase or sustained enrollment in these programs can be indicative of environmental job market climate.

//University of North Carolina Institutions// **
 * **

Three of the sixteen //public// institutions that are part of the University of North Carolina system are located in the Triangle region. In the Fall of 2009, 71,322 students were enrolled in programs at these three universities. Below is a list of colleges within the universities addressing environmental education needs: ||
 * ** North Carolina Central University ** : College of Science and Technology
 * ** North Carolina State University ** : College of Natural Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Science, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Engineering
 * ** University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill **: College of Arts and Sciences, Gillings School of Global Public Health


 * What does this measure show? **

Of the four community colleges in the Triangle (Central Carolina Community Collge, Durham Technical Community College , Johnston Community College , and Wake Technical Community College ), two offer degree and certificate programs in environmental fields. Johnston Community has a Greenhouse and Groundmaintenace program which trains students for positions in the horitculture industry and other related careers. Johnston also has a Landscape Gardening program emphasizing applied horticulture and prepares students to become North Carolina Certified Plant Professionals and to pass the North Carolina Pesticide Applicator’s Examination. Wake Tech offers a similar program in Landscape Architecture Technology. This program teaches students important aspects of landscape design, construction, planning, and engineering in addition to horticulture to prepare students for jobs as architecture technicians. The Environmental Science Technology program at Wake Tech sets students on the path to become enviornmental consultants and testers. Many students are employed by environmental abatement and regulatory agencies following program completion. Central Carolina offers five programs in sustainable agriculture (for more information, see Local Foods and Farms section).

Graduation rates in these community college programs have remained fairly constant during the past five years.  Source: Community College Personnel


 * Author ** Lauren Forbes :: 2010 April 28


 * Technical Notes **

Data obtained from registrars at community colleges. Click here for spreadsheet:[|Community College Data.xlsx]


 * Connecting People with Nature Indicators**
 * //Parks & Nature Recreation//** :: Natural Area Recreation :: Proximity to Parks
 * //Environmental Education//** :: Environmental Education Centers :: Community Colleges :: State Curriculum
 * //Environmental Choices//** :: Green Buildings :: Transportation Choices :: Waste and Recycling Practices