ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — St. Petersburg College (SPC) is part of a national network that is leading the charge in ensuring that community colleges are major drivers of the U.S. workforce. In 2023, SPC joined a network of 10 community colleges across the country for the Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunity: The Post-Graduation Success and Equity Network.
“Community colleges are realizing our job is not done until the student gets a better job. The finish line has been moved from degree or certificate completion to getting high-wage jobs or transferring to a bachelor’s program,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams.
As part of its work with the network, SPC has been focusing on strengthening its academic programs and developing new models for expanding opportunities for students to attain better jobs that ultimately lead to better lives. This “Better Jobs, Better Lives” initiative has helped identify College goals and inform its new 2024-2027 strategic plan.
“Based on state data, we’re focusing on programs that lead to a mid-career wage of at least $52,600 or higher,” said Dr. Matthew Liao-Troth, SPC’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “We’re also looking at ways to improve students’ success in transferring to and completing a bachelor’s program without taking extra unnecessary credits.”
To help students successfully transfer to bachelor’s programs, SPC is enhancing partnerships with universities across the state, including the University of South Florida, Florida A&M University, New College of Florida and the University of Central Florida.
SPC’s focus on post-completion outcomes also includes strengthening corporate partnerships. As a result, those companies are recruiting directly from SPC program, and students are going directly to work for global companies in the area such as Plasma-Therm and Jabil.
About St. Petersburg College
Founded in 1927, St. Petersburg College (SPC) is Florida’s first two-year college. Regionally accredited and nationally recognized, SPC became Florida’s first state college to offer bachelor’s degrees. The College now offers more than 200 associate and bachelor’s degrees, certificates, and transfer programs, as well as many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. The College’s career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to provide students with real-world skills needed to meet the needs of today’s employers.
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SOURCE St. Petersburg College
