projects

Community College Growth Engine

Leading the nation and their regions in creating micro-pathways with employers.

Overview

The Community College Growth Engine (CCGE), led by Dr. Lisa Larson, is a design accelerator that was set up just before the pandemic to help community colleges lean into a future role as regional talent agents in a skills-based economy.

Since 2020, the CCGE team has engaged over 40 community colleges and systems across the country to design over 50 micro-pathways leveraging a human-centered design process.(explore micro-pathways by sector).

In June 2023, the team released a thought paper: Transforming Community Colleges: 5 Design Questions to Shape the Future of Learning.

Year 1 learnings are available in the first Design Insights Brief (January 2022). Watch our Jan. 19, 2022, National Convening on YouTube.

What are micro-pathways? Co-designed with learners and employers, micro-pathways are defined as two or more stackable credentials, including a 21st century skill micro-credential, that are flexibly delivered to be achieved within less than a year and result in a job at or above the local median wage, and start (l)earners on the path to an associate degree.

Each system or college received a startup award through the CCGE, which is supported by over 15 foundations and investors.

Meet the Cohorts

Cohort I

  • The City University of New York (CUNY)
    • LaGuardia Community College
    • Kingsborough Community College
    • Queensborough Community College
    • Borough of Manhattan Community College
  • Ivy Tech Community College (Indiana)
  • Prince George’s Community College (Maryland)
  • Austin Community College District (Texas)
  • Pima Community College (Arizona)
  • Seattle Colleges (Washington)

Cohort II

  • Colorado Community College System
    • Arapahoe Community College
    • Colorado Northwestern Community College
    • Community College of Aurora
    • Community College of Denver
    • Lamar Community College
    • Northeastern Junior College
    • Pueblo Community College
  • Maricopa County Community College System (Arizona)
    • Rio Salado Community College
    • Chandler-Gilbert Community College
    • Mesa Community College
    • Scottsdale Community College
  • Community College of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania)
  • Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, Massachusetts)

Cohort III

  • SUNY (State University of New York system)
    • Ulster
    • Westchester
    • Dutchess
    • Orange
    • Rockland
    • Sullivan
  • Alamo Colleges District
    • Northeast Lakeview College
    • Northwest Vista College
    • Palo Alto College
    • St. Philip’s College
    • San Antonio College
  • Minnesota
    • Alexandria Technical and Community College
    • Central Lakes College
    • Hennepin Technical College
    • Saint Paul College
  • Northern Virginia Community College
  • Community College of Rhode Island
  • College of Eastern Idaho

What is a Micro-pathway?

Co-designed with learners and employers, micro-pathways are two or more stackable credentials, including a 21st century skill micro-credential, that are flexibly delivered to be achieved within less than a year and result in a job at or above the local median wage.

Data Dashboard

Our Partners

Research, Data + Evaluation Partners

Our Funders

Arizona Community Foundation
Jeffrey H. and Shari L. Aronson Family Foundation
Ascendium Education Group
Autodesk
The Beacon Foundation
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Citizens
deLaski Family Foundation

Garcia Foundation
Charles Koch Foundation
Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation*
Robin Hood Foundation*
Walmart.org
Walton Family Foundation
ZOMA Foundation

*Invested directly in CUNY

National Convening Recap

Thanks to all who attended our #Micropathways National Convening on Jan. 19, 2022!

+ Watch the recording on YouTube
+ View the presentation slides (PDF)
+ Join the conversation on Twitter with #Micropathways

Resources

Press + Media

Join our Innovator Network + never miss an update

To get in touch, contact our team at ccgef@eddesignlab.org

Follow our work on Twitter #Micropathways