Giving Compass' Take:

· New research from the Southern Regional Education Board shows an 11% decline in community college enrollment between 2012 and 2017, raising concerns about lower-skilled workers and workforce preparedness.

· How can young adults be encouraged to pursue further education at community colleges? How can donors and philanthropists support these efforts? 

· Here's how a personalized outreach to students can boost community college enrollment.

Community college enrollment declined 11 percent nationwide between 2012 and 2017, according to new research from the Southern Regional Education Board, a drop that may signal workforce trouble ahead as more jobs require advanced skills and credentials.

“The institutions most likely to prepare students for the types of jobs coming down the pike are probably two-year institutions,” says Susan Lounsbury, director of education data services for SREB. “To see them declining causes us some worry.”

In a period during which enrollment at four-year institutions remained nearly flat, falling figures at community colleges may represent a paradox. Thanks to the recent strong economy and low unemployment rate, many potential students likely sought paid work rather than invest in advancing their education in two-year programs, Lounsbury explains. But these same workers may soon suffer as the economy evolves and the types of positions they’re qualified for become increasingly threatened by automation.

“For a lot of low-skill jobs currently held by individuals who have only a high-school diploma, the simple reality is they’re not going to be there much longer,” says Stephen Pruitt, SREB president. “Robots aren’t kicking people out of their jobs, they’re going to create new jobs—but at a higher level.”

Read the full article about community college enrollment by Rebecca Koenig at EdSurge.