Page 42 - SKILLS - 2023

Beyond the Bachelor:
Colleges Offer More Than 4-Year Degrees
BY DAVID LEVINE
MAKING YOUR CAREER WORK
Local colleges such as The College
of Westchester (this page) and SUNY Westchester Community College (opposite page) are offering a wide range of post-secondary options, such as two- year degrees and certificate programs.
For decades, most of us believed that a four-year college degree was the minimum requirement to land a good, well-paying
job. But no more. As tuitions skyrocket, it is harder to justify the expense and, often, debt required to earn that degree. For those who don’t want to or cannot afford four years of college, there are now many other options to learn the skills needed for a great job and rewarding career.
“We are seeing an explosion in alternative post-secondary options, some coming from colleges and universities, some coming from other nonprofits and others coming from for-profit entities, especially from within the educational-technology ecosystem,” says Brian Amkraut,
vice president and general manager for workforce credentialing and community impact at Mercy College.
“The range of options is enormous, from on-demand, very-short-term learning opportunities to more extensive programs that demand the equivalent of full-time study.”
The CERTIFi by Mercy College division was created to offer “highly targeted, competency-based programming to more rapidly give people the skills they need in a constantly changing labor market,” he says. “Our offerings truly represent the full spectrum of in-demand
skills and industries in the New
York area, ranging from entry-level healthcare opportunities to food truck entrepreneurship to executive education on women in leadership
to a full range of technology-related certifications in various digital
skills areas.”
A new initiative called Digital Skills Equity, available to learners from select ZIP codes within a 15-mile
40 2023 SKILLS What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
© Courtesy of The College of Westchester
© Courtesy of The College of Westchester