Shoreline Community College receives $2 million federal grant

A $2 million grant is coming to Shoreline Community College from the U.S. Department of Labor as part of a national effort to help meet our nation’s critical shortage of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workers.

The project, known as “Credentials to Careers,” will involve colleges in five states. Shoreline will use the money to increase the number of manufacturing graduates in the region by better aligning the curriculum with jobs, adding career navigation services and expanding online resources.

The announcement is timely with the education-advocacy group A+ Washington recently reporting that by 2018, the number of STEM-related jobs will grow by 24 percent in the state. Currently, only 74 percent of Washington high students earn a diploma and 48 percent of beginning college students requires remedial classes.

The grant was announced by Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and is funded as part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative. It comes just a week after Shoreline was awarded a $30,000 grant from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges to work with the Shoreline School District on aligning math and English curricula.

The Credentials to Careers grant builds upon a number of innovations at Shoreline, including stackable credentials and Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST). The college’s Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) Machining program was the first in the state to receive National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) certification.

A number of organizations will support the implementation of the three-year project, including the Aspen Institute, Achieving the Dream and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. Shoreline is one of several colleges named in the grant, including Northern Virginia Community College, Austin Community College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Virginia Western Community College, Muskegon Community College and Mott Community College.