Page 32 - 2021 Westchester County Economic Development Guide

The Gateway Center, Westchester Community College in White Plains
Education
Top in Its Class
From well-schooled residents to top-ranked schools and outstanding
graduation rates, Westchester is the most educated county in the U.S.
Westchester Forward
‘UPSKILLING’ THE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE With a significant number of residents with college and advanced degrees, Westchester County lives up to its scholarly reputation. So it came as no surprise when Westchester Community College saw an acceleration in demand for courses and certifications that provide upskilling opportunities for our County’s workforce this past year - as employers prepared to meet anticipated new demands in a post-pandemic world.
During economic upheavals, such as in 2020, businesses and workers retool themselves to be in a strong position when the economy rebounds. WCC saw an increase in programs that lead more immediately to in-demand jobs - such as cybersecurity, health information technology, and respiratory care. The college also experienced growth in short-term certification programs in direct healthcare and information technology, as well as short-term skills training in Microsoft Office.
“As a comprehensive and
affordable open access institution, WCC is designed to
prepare learners of all ages for entry to a variety of middle skill career pathways, further contributing to our regional economic recovery. The opening of our White Plains Education & Training Center illustrates our commitment to workforce training for in-demand jobs in IT, healthcare, hospitality, the service industry and more.”
—Dr. Belinda Miles, President, Westchester Community College
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES RESPOND TO COVID
During the pandemic, WCC pivoted to fully remote short-term workforce training programming, which reaches a broader audience of learners. While Iona College was one of the first in the country to go remote when COVID-19 hit New York, it also was one of the first to reopen campus for in-person learning and living in August 2020. The college put strict preventative measures in place, including regular surveillance testing on campus in partnership with Montefiore Hospital, before resuming the in-person campus experience. Pace University had the nation’s fourth best
response to COVID-19 among higher educational institutions, according to College Magazine. The university implemented a comprehensive response plan, including prorated housing and meal refunds and pass-fail grading – as well as random testing linked to the college’s “Pace Safe” security app. Pace also launched the New York Recovery internship program, placing 65 students at 24 different regional non-profit organizations that were engaged in pandemic relief work.
Manhattanville College designed a free online summer course for incoming first-year students. The course, taken by nearly 100 students for two credits, was an in-depth look at the impact of the pandemic on different academic fields. Purchase College had only minimal exposures, but immediately paused programs when they occurred – and continually kept 100 rooms ready for quarantining students. Mercy College welcomed its largest freshman class in many years and implemented distance learning technology to serve many students across multiple campuses.
A HIGHLY-EDUCATED
WORKFORCE
Nearly half of Westchester resi- dents over the age of 25 hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher, compared with 33 percent state- wide and 28 percent nationally – and nearly a quarter of those residents hold advanced degrees.
With 30 post-secondary educa- tional institutions located across the County, Westchester has public and private two-year insti- tutions, as well as fully accredited universities that offer bachelors or advanced degrees across mul- tiple disciplines.
30
WESTCHESTER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
© Photo provided by Westchester Community College