NORTH COAST, Calif. – Mendocino College has earned the California Community Colleges’ Strong Workforce Stars recognition for its success in improving student employment and wage outcomes through its innovative career education programs.

Strong Workforce Stars is an annual recognition for career education programs, also known as career technical education, within the California Community Colleges system whose graduates show significant gains in factors important for advancing social mobility – a substantial increase in earnings, attainment of a living wage and a job closely matched with the field of study.

“It is an honor to have Mendocino College Career Education recognized by the Strong Workforce Stars Program,” said Superintendent-President Arturo Reyes. “Our faculty and department chairs have worked diligently to build and support these successful programs that serve the needs of our community industry partners, which provides employment opportunities and increased wages for our students.”

The 2018 Strong Workforce Stars were given to career education programs throughout the state in 12 industry sectors, based on earnings gains, living wage attainment, and employment in field of study.

Those named Strong Workforce Stars met one or more of the following thresholds: 1. An increase in earnings by 50 percent or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2015-16. 2.

Attainment of the regional living wage by 70 percent or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2015-16. 3. 90 percent or more are employed in a job similar to their field of study, according to the Career Technical Education Outcomes Survey, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2014-15.

Star Awards (attained threshold outcomes on one of the above metric):

Automotive technology – 61 percent increase in earnings.
Accounting – 100 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study.
Business management – 70 percent of students attained the regional living wage.
Real estate – 89 percent increase in earnings.
Child development/early care and education – 72 percent increase in earnings.
Medical office technology – 56 percent increase in earnings.
Registered Nursing – 94 percent of students attained the regional living wage.
Administration of Justice – 56 percent increase in earnings.
Fire Technology – 90 percent of students attained the regional living wage.
Human Services – 67 percent increase in earnings.

For more information about the Mendocino College career technical education programs, go to www.mendocino.edu.