Today’s educators are faced with mountains of obstacles. Among them, one obstacle is an increasingly troublesome roadblock for the education system: the equity gap. Most are familiar with terms like wage gap, and skills gap, however the term equity gap is still relatively unknown. Equity gaps refer to disparities in the success of education across ethnicity, socioeconomic status, mental abilities, and other demographic attributes. Transparency on this matter has been growing over the course of a decade, and at a time when manufacturing companies are desperate to recruit qualified employees, opportunities for disadvantaged groups are beginning to be at the forefront of conversations surrounding education.
Although there are no shortages of opinions on the best ways to tackle this issue, there is a beacon of hope for educators faced with improving the quality of education for disadvantaged groups. The Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant written by the Department of Labor aims to decrease the equity gap through the funding of community colleges.
Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant at a Glance
According to the synopsis of the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant, it will work to accomplish two main objectives: 1) to increase the capacity and responsiveness of community colleges to address identified equity gaps, and 2) to meet the skill development needs of employers in in-demand industries and career pathways, as well as the skill development needs of underserved and underrepresented workers.
The brief goal of this grant funding is to build the capability of community colleges who are working to combat the equity gap while also meeting the skill development needs of in-demand employers creating career pathways to quality jobs for disadvantaged individuals. These efforts are aimed at providing underrepresented students with the tools they need to become successful in todays high paced work environment.
The estimated program funding will provide an award ranging from 1.5 million up to 5 million dollars ending October 14th, 2022, to eligible community colleges that can present a valid plan for strengthening curriculum, advancing Equity, accelerating career pathways, a results-driven project design, and sustainable systems change. Applicants are then asked to justify why these strategies are likely to lead to positive outcomes and will then be asked to illustrate this model. All those receiving an award are required to do a rigorous evaluation through a qualified third-party.
How Amatrol Can Help
The best way to make a community college course stand out is by delivering the most effective learning resources, such as hands-on simulators to practice industry-relevant skills and thorough curriculum developed by Subject Matter Experts. With more than 30 years of experience creating quality curriculum, Amatrol remains the world’s leader in skills-based interactive technical learning. Focusing on in-depth industrial knowledge and hands-on technical skills, Amatrol’s highly interactive curriculum appeals to all students regardless of background or learning style.
Amatrol offers a variety of trainers that simulate an actual working environment, allowing students to gain hands – on knowledge, strengthening the effectiveness of a community college Program. Virtual trainers are also available for a variety of technical areas, including electrical, electronics, fluid power, machining, manufacturing processes, mechanical, and quality assurance.
Preparing students for their future is what we do best.
