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At the core of the mission of a community college is the goal to be a resource for lifelong learning and personal growth. A key part of that strategy is to provide career development that empowers people by giving them the education, skills and network to achieve and surpass their personal and professional dreams.

Civic engagement is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy.

The mission of a community college is to provide students with access to the knowledge and skills needed for making positive contributions in an interconnected world.

Albert Einstein said that intellectual growth should start at birth and cease only at death. Community colleges share this vision and lifelong learning is part of our core mission. Community colleges offer a broad range of topics through Community Education Departments to meet any professional or personal interest, at every stage of life.

Have you ever been in a new place for the first time, yet somehow still felt a sense of belonging or familiarity? If you have, that feeling or recognition is known as a “sense of place.” Achieving a sense of place, or creating community, is tied to having a strong identity and character that are recognized and felt by visitors and residents. These are powerful feelings conveyed by a combination of small details and many larger efforts, and providing that feeling is important for community colleges.

First responders such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians play critical roles in all of our communities.  As a result, it is increasingly important that this vital workforce reflects the diversity of the communities they serve. Community college faculty and staff have stepped up to this challenge through their efforts to recruit a diverse student body for programs that provide the technical and academic preparation for these fields.

The people who help our counties, cities, towns and villages to run smoothly have seen rapid change in the ways government units operate over the last decades.  But, it might surprise you to know that some employees have had to update their skills without professional development or training.  That’s why when Waubonsee Community College’s Workforce Development Division began an inquiry of local civic leader’s greatest needs a few years ago, we discovered the pain points that government organizations faced in the development of their workers.  The college was seeking to partner and provide ongoing professional development for municipal workers, we were happy to rise to the challenge.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 20 percent of adults in the state of Illinois report being in fair or poor health. In addition, our most recent state census data shows that the proportion of Illinois’ population that is age 60 and older is growing more rapidly than other components of the population. These two statistics alone indicate that access to and demand for high quality health care is more important than ever. Through solid employer partnerships, state-of-the-art technology and facilities, and evolving curriculum and professional development for faculty, community colleges expertly strengthen the workforce in one of our country’s most critical and growing sectors.

This month begins a year of reflection, gratitude and inspiration for Waubonsee Community College, as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. Measuring the ways that Waubonsee has become woven into the fabric of the lives of so many in our community over the past 50 years is both an honor and a challenge that speaks to the impact of the American innovation of community colleges in our country.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker holds 10 different jobs before age 40, and this number is projected to grow. In fact, some research suggests that today’s youngest workers will hold 12 to 15 jobs in their lifetimes. This places a new perspective on the urgency and importance of lifelong learning, because it means that most likely, one’s career path will require continuing education beyond an initial degree or certificate.