With a healthcare professional shortage in America there is a huge need for new and emerging healthcare workers. Community colleges play a vital role in educating future healthcare professionals and shaping the healthcare landscape. According to Dr. Kevin Fleming the CEO of Telos Educational Services, the past several decades have seen a large emphasis placed on the importance of people receiving college educations and advanced degrees. The belief has been that with a more advanced degree comes higher pay. There is a misalignment between education and the workforce. There’s been a “college for all mentality” instead of a “post-high school credential for all” mentality. Fleming shares that 66% of high school graduates enter college; but only 1/4 finish their bachelor’s degrees. Experts have predicted that by 2018, only 33% of the workforce will be required to have a four-year degree.
