College of San Mateo career education programs have again earned numerous awards from the California Community College’s Strong Workforce Stars recognition program. CSM’s career education programs won one Gold Star, two Silver Stars, and eight Bronze Stars for success in helping students reach new heights in earning power and social mobility.

Strong Workforce Stars is an annual recognition for career education programs, also known as career technical education, which debuted in 2017 within the California Community Colleges system. It highlights programs 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. CSM earned five Strong Workforce Stars awards in 2017 — more than any other California community college.

“I am proud of the faculty who have worked for so many years to build such strong career programs at CSM,” said College President Mike Claire. “It is fitting that these programs are receiving so much recognition at the state level.”

This year, Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, and Gold Stars categories were introduced, with each winning program receiving recognition in at least one of these categories:

  • An increase in earnings by 50% or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who were last enrolled in 2015-16
  • Attainment of the regional living wage by 70% or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who were last enrolled in 2015-16
  • 90% or more are employed in a job similar to their field of study, according to the CTE Outcomes Survey, for students who were last enrolled in 2014-15

CSM’s 2018 Strong Workforce Star programs represent a broad range of business, technology, healthcare, and public service fields:

BRONZE STARS
(attained threshold outcomes on one metric)

  • Business Management: 85% of students attained the regional living wage
  • Cosmetology and Barbering: 79% increase in earnings
  • Construction Inspection: 88% of students attained the regional living wage
  • Dental Assistant: 157% increase in earnings
  • Office Technology-Office Computer Applications: 82% increase in earnings
  • Computer Software Development: 83% of students attained the regional living wage
  • Administration of Justice: 153% increase in earnings
  • Fire Technology: 90% increase in earnings

SILVER STARS
(attained threshold outcomes on two metrics)

  • Computer Aided Drafting: 71% of students attained the regional living wage and 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
  • Electronics & Electric Technology: 76% of students attained the regional living wage and 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study

GOLD STARS
(attained threshold outcomes on all three metrics)

  • Registered Nursing: 110% increase in earnings, 83% of students attained the regional living wage and 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study