Cypress College and Fullerton College earned the California Community College’s Strong Workforce Stars recognition at the Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels for innovative career technical education programs that advance economic and social mobility for students.
The 2018 Strong Workforce Stars were given to career technical education programs throughout the state in 12 industry sectors, based on earnings gains, living wage attainment, and employment in field of study. Those named Strong Workforce Stars met one or more of the following thresholds:
- An increase in earnings by 50 percent or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2015-16.
- Attainment of the regional living wage by 70 percent or more, based on a match to the state wage file, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2015-16.
- 90 percent or more are employed in a job similar to their field of study, according to the Career Technical Education Outcomes Survey, for students who earned a certificate or degree and were last enrolled in 2014-15.
This year, the Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, and Gold Stars levels were introduced, with each winning program receiving recognition in one of those categories. Bronze Stars programs met one or more thresholds; Silver Stars met two; and Gold Stars met all three.
Congratulations to Cypress College and Fullerton College for receiving a combined total of 38 Strong Workforce Stars for the following career technical education programs!
Cypress College |
Fullerton College |
1 Gold Star
- DENTAL HYGIENIST: 648% increase in earnings; 83% of students attained the regional living wage; 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
2 Silver Stars
- DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY: 322% increase in earnings; 89% of students attained the regional living wage
- PSYCHIATRIC TECHNOLOGY: 203% increase in earnings; 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
17 Bronze Stars
- AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY: 89% increase in earnings
- AUTOMOTIVE COLLISION REPAIR: 58% increase in earnings
- ACCOUNTING: 60% increase in earnings
- BUSINESS MANAGEMENT: 58% increase in earnings
- MORTUARY SCIENCE: 175% increase in earnings
- ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TECHNOLOGY: 73% of students attained the regional living wage
- HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: 51% increase in earnings
- RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY: 60% increase in earnings
- DENTAL ASSISTANT: 419% increase in earnings
- ALCOHOL AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES: 62% increase in earnings
- COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND DIGITAL IMAGERY: 94% increase in earnings
- COMPUTER NETWORKING: 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
- CULINARY ARTS: 101% increase in earnings
- HOSPITALITY: 106% increase in earnings
- FLIGHT ATTENDANT: 104% increase in earnings
- TECHNICAL THEATER: 84% increase in earnings
- HUMAN SERVICES: 53% increase in earnings
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3 Silver Stars
- INTERIOR DESIGN ASSISTANT: 117% increase in earnings; 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
- CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT: 62% increase in earnings; 77% of students attained the regional living wage
- ACCOUNTING: 51% increase in earnings; 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
15 Bronze Stars
- PRINTING AND LITHOGRAPHY: 53% increase in earnings
- AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY: 71% increase in earnings
- HORTICULTURE: 104% increase in earnings
- MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION: 92% increase in earnings
- REAL ESTATE: 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
- MASSAGE THERAPY: 64% increase in earnings
- COSMETOLOGY AND BARBERING: 84% increase in earnings
- CHILD DEVELOPMENT - EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION: 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
- CONSTRUCTION CRAFTS TECHNOLOGY: 58% increase in earnings
- TELEVISION (including combined TV-film-video): 68% increase in earnings
- COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS: 100% of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study
- COMMERCIAL MUSIC: 52% increase in earnings
- ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE: 65% increase in earnings
- FASHION: 73% increase in earnings
- PARALEGAL: 63% increase in earnings
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Strong Workforce Stars is an annual recognition for career technical education within the California Community Colleges system whose graduates show significant gains in factors important for advancing social mobility – a substantial increase in earnings, attainment of a living wage and a job closely matched with the field of study.