The U.S. National Science Foundation has announced a $30 million investment to establish NSF EPSCoR Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) across the states of Montana, Idaho, and Louisiana. These new centers will seek to expand research efforts, deepen STEM knowledge, and strengthen workforce development in priority areas, including semiconductors, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.

EPSCoR CRESTs will act as research hubs that also aim to attract and prepare more students for careers in STEM disciplines.

• Montana: Montana Technological University will launch a center focused on converting local biomass, such as beetle-killed trees, into biochar and renewable energy sources.
• Idaho: Boise State University will establish the a center integrating semiconductor science into classroom experiences to advance workforce preparation.
• Louisiana: Lousiana State University (LSU) New Orleans and Shreveport will create centers for adaptive nanotechnology and biotechnology.

To learn more about this recent investment, visit NSF's website.

A new analysis from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center highlights the continued influence of dual enrollment on college completion, particularly within community colleges.

For the 2019 cohort at public two-year institutions, students who entered with dual-enrollment credits achieved a six-year completion rate of 57%, far outpacing the 39.6% rate of those without early college coursework.

Despite the strong outcomes among dual-enrollment students, the national six-year completion rate for community colleges held at 43.9% for the most recent cohort, matching the previous year's. This still represents an increase from 2008 levels. 

To explore additional breakdowns by state, demographic group, and enrollment status, view NSC Research Center's full report.

Registration is now open for the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) annual Workforce Development Institute (WDI). The conference will be held January 28 through January 31, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

WDI will bring together community colleges faculty, industry leaders, and government partners committed to developing and strengthening the national workforce pipeline. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with plenaries, exhibit halls, speakers panels, and executive-listening sessions across a variety of topic pertinent to community colleges and workforce development. Pre-conference programming is also available. 

To learn more or to register for AACC's 2026 Workforce Development Institute, visit the conference's website.

A new College Board report shows that the average published tuition and fees for in-district, full-time students at public two-year colleges in 2025–2026 reached $4,150, an increase of $110 from last year.

State-level prices varied widely, from $1,440 in California to $8,900 in Vermont, and only nine states saw no change or increases of less than 1%.

To learn more about trends in college tuition and financial aid, read the full report from College Board.

Supported by Google Cloud's Career Launchpad in collaboration with the National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC), the free virtual event, "Google's Generative AI Leader Training and Certification," will be held on January 16 and 23, 2026. Sessions will cover the fundamental principles of artificial intelligence (AI), current AI offerings, strategies to improve the output of generative models, and relevant AI-informed business strategies. Completion of the training program will prepare community college faculty for the Google Cloud Generative AI Leader Certification.

Virtual Training Sessions

• Session 1: January 16, 2026, 10:00AM to 4:30 PM EST
• Session 2: January 23, 2026, 10:00AM to 4:30 PM EST
• Office hours (optional): January 30, 2026, 2:30PM to 4 PM EST

To learn more or to apply for the training program, visit the NAAIC website.

The October/November issue of the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Community College Journal is now available online and in print through subscription. A featured publication by AACC, this journal provides contemporary information, insights, strategies, and connections for those in academia, industry, government, and workforce development.

The latest issue highlights:

• Trends surrounding community college-awarded bachelor's degrees.
• Succession strategies for future community college leaders.
• Impact of the 2012 "Reclaiming the American Dream" report from the 21-Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges.

AACC's October/November publication of the Community College Journal can be accessed online here, and archived issues can be viewed in AACC’s library.

According to a new DataPoints article from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), public community colleges awarded more than 1.52 million credentials in 2023–24, showing a steady rebound since the pandemic. Short-term credentials, defined as programs lasting less than a year, rose 27% between 2017–18 and 2023–24.

The average student now earns about 1.34 credentials annually, reflecting growth in stackable or sequential credentialing pathways. Meanwhile, associate degree awards dipped from their 2020–21 peak but saw a modest recovery in 2023–24.

To learn more about enrollment trends across credential types, read the full DataPoints from AACC.

The Geospatial Technology Consortium of Community Colleges (GTC3) invites applications for GeoAcademy, an online professional development program designed to expand understanding and application of geospatial technologies. Through structured, hands-on learning and collaborative engagement, participants will explore how geospatial tools can enhance student learning, support research initiatives, strengthen program evaluation, and enrich instructional resources across disciplines. GeoAcademy is open to professionals affiliated with community colleges and related educational institutions, including faculty, librarians, researchers, and instructional designers. No prior experience with geospatial technologies is required. 

The application deadline is November 28, 2025. For additional information or to apply, visit GTC3’s website.
 

The webinar "Using LinkedIn to Navigate the AI-Driven Labor Market," hosted by the National Applied AI Consortium (NAAIC), will take place on November 18, 2025, from 12:00-1:00PM EST. Presenters from LinkedIn, public policy, economics, and social impact sections will share how community college faculty can leverage LinkedIn's workforce analytics and educational resources to help students strengthen their online presence, identify emerging areas of demand, and connect job trends to relevant learning opportunities. 

To learn more and register for the online event, visit NAAIC's website.

The United States is approach a significant skills shortage, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce (CEW). This gap stems from a combination of demographic, economic, and educational challenges reshaping the labor market.Over the next seven years, more than 18 million workers with higher education are anticipated to retire - surpassing the 13.8 million graduates with comparable qualifications expected to enter the workforce. Meanwhile, the economy is forecasted to add more than half a million new jobs requiring post-secondary education, with an increasing percentage of positions demanding training beyond high school. Of the 561 occupations analyzed in CEW's report, 171 are projected to experience skills shortages, with the largest gaps expected in managerial roles, teaching, and nursing.

These challenges are compounded by the so-called "demographic cliff" - a decline in the number of high school graduates entering the pipeline. Although enrollment in post-secondary education is projected to rebound slightly over the next decade, it will still likely remain below 2010 levels.

To learn more about the nation's predicted skill...