Plus 50 College Profiles
Anne Arundel Community College (Arnold, MD)
Provides two free online webinars to adult learners interested in health care careers in the college’s “Allied Health Pathway for Encore Careers” initiative. An adult basic skills program for students seeking a GED is also available. Weekend and online courses enable students to earn one of five degrees or certificates in two years, so they can continue working while going to college.
Atlantic Cape Community College (Mays Landing, NJ)
Trains professionals with prior experience in health and management to teach adult basic education, health, and English as a second language (ESL) to adults going back to school. Hybrid (classroom and online) courses focus on instructional technology, adult learning theory, course development and classroom management.
Video: College staff discuss the program
Cape Cod Community College (West Barnstable, MA)
Provides opportunities to hone new skills to remain in the workplace, to explore new interests and to learn computer and entrepreneurial skills. A Plus 50 Advisor helps students overcome the challenges of returning to school by providing a variety of tailored services and workshops for plus 50 adults in transition. Has an adult learner center and offers diagnostic testing to prepare students for refresher workshops in math and English.
Century College (White Bear Lake, MN)
Offers short-term training courses to develop skills in high-demand fields like healthcare, transportation and technology. The college offers a starting a small business series of short, five-hour classes designed for ‘accidental’ entrepreneurs who are interested in an encore career or developing their dream job. Century College also has a volunteer program to help plus 50 adults explore and find opportunities in community service.
Clark College (Vancouver, WA)
The college has a long history of providing classes to plus 50 students and also offers training and professional development classes. One example, curriculum in a wine and cooking school designed to help cooks of any ability – whether they are first-time cooks or experienced chefs. The wine and cooking curriculum includes everything from entrepreneurial courses in vineyard management to wine label design.
Clover Park Technical College’s (Lakewood, WA)
Employment-focused training provides plus 50 learners the skills they need to return to the workforce with courses in computer applications and on creating resumes and job portfolios that work. The college created an employer business toolkit with a video of employers promoting plus 50 employees and hosts a recareering @50 expo with local employers and community organizations. Provides completion coaches for plus 50 students and a special financial support fund for graduation fees and expenses. The newly organized plus 50 club has been recognized by the student government, giving plus 50 students a campus voice. Faculty and staff are provided a diversity training highlighting the differences in life focus, priorities and learning styles of plus 50 students.
Video: College staff offer completion tips
Video: College staff discuss how to help plus 50 students reach their goals
Video: Student advisor talks about supporting plus 50 students
College of Central Florida (Ocala, FL)
Offers a wide-range of programs and services that help plus 50 learners discover what's next for them in a volunteer service, employment, lifelong learning, and wellness. The newest addition to the array of the College’s plus 50 services includes re-careering advice, job clubs and job training utilizing the knowledge and attributes of the plus 50 student. The College also implemented an effort to recruit and train plus 50 Veterans as career coaches for new Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to help them establish their career direction, prepare for job interviews, overcome challenges in looking for a job, and find meaningful civilian employment.
Video: College staff discuss the program
Video: College staff discuss efforts to sustain the plus 50 program
Dawson Community College (Glendive, MT)
Partners with several state and national parks, and historic sites to offer a course where plus 50 students visit the sites and explore potential careers as volunteers or park rangers.
Hazard Community and Technical College (Hazard, KY)
Offers support to help plus 50 students complete a degree or certificate, so they can remain competitive in the workforce, update their skills or find a new job.
Joliet Junior College (Joliet, IL)
Provides monthly workshops in resume writing, interviewing skills and internet job search techniques at the college’s plus 50 Workforce Center. The college offers faculty professional development training about generational difference and the learning styles of plus 50 students. Offers plus 50 adults customized career counseling, a series of popular computer courses, a financial aid seminar, and a workshop on re-cultivating your study habits.
Video: College staff discuss completion tips
Video: College staff discuss advising plus 50 students
Video: College staff discuss monthly workshops helping unemployed workers
Video: College staff discuss helping unemployed workers
LaGuardia Community College (New York, NY)
Recruits older immigrants who have worked professionally in the social services and health care fields in their native countries and trains them for employment as bilingual community health workers who provide people in underserved communities with needed health information and services.
Luzerne County Community College (Nanticoke, PA)
Offers re-careering and transitioning assistance through workshops designed for plus 50 students looking for employment or to change careers. The college also offers a series of entrepreneurial workshops to help plus 50 students gain a better understanding of what it takes to develop a successful business start-up.
Monroe Community College (Rochester, NY)
Offers flexible scheduling and allows plus 50 students to apply to earn credit for prior learning and workforce experience. The college assists baby boomers enrolling in coursework to complete a degree or certificate in high-demand fields in the local economy.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (Green Bay, WI)
Representatives from across the college—recruitment, advising, enrollment, financial aid and career services—all participate and share information at open houses for plus 50 students interested in returning to college. They also explain ways to earn credit for prior learning. Workforce training is available in five high demand, high growth fields – nursing, healthcare business services, health information technology, machine tools, and landscape horticulture. The college offers free tutoring help for plus 50 students and has created “test-outs” for as many classes as possible so plus 50 students can complete programs quickly and use their time for new coursework.
Northeastern Junior College (Sterling, CO)
The college offers introductory computer courses designed to help adult learners improve their workplace skills. Flexible scheduling and credit for prior learning and education help adults fit completing coursework into their busy lives. Job training is provided in many areas, including: nursing, agriculture, childcare, business administration and management, emergency medical services, wind technology and education.
Pasco-Hernando Community College (New Port Richey, FL)
Provides computer workshops designed specifically for plus 50 learners, including a
three-hour introductory Microsoft Office series. The college has held an education and career fair specifically for plus 50 adults. The college also offers 10 hour math and English refresher workshops for plus 50 adults who need to tune up their skills before taking additional coursework.
Portland Community College (Portland, OR)
The college provides a peer mentoring program for students over 50 who are enrolled in the college’s gerontology certificate or degree program to help improve student support and boost retention.
Prince George's Community College (Largo, Md.)
Provides plus 50 adults interested in health careers with comprehensive career and life coaching, job search skills and resume development. The college convened an advisory board with local employers to make the case for baby boomer talent in the community and at the college.
Richland College (Dallas, TX)
Offers enrichment programs ranging from field trips and special events to classes in computers, creating writing, art, and more.
Rose State College (Oklahoma City, OK)
Offers a wide range of enrichment courses and educational day trips for active plus 50 adults. Courses range from landscape design to 21st century technologies—cell phones, Facebook, GPS and webcams. These courses are designed for plus 50 students who want to learn something new or to rekindle passions and interests they haven't pursued in years.
Santa Fe College (Gainesville, FL)
Provides teaching credentials using innovative methods for individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree and are seeking to make a difference in Florida schools. The college also has an online orientation course to educate potential or newly hired adjunct clinical faculty. These short-term programs are geared to plus 50 learners who wish to embark on a teaching or a nursing educator career with special emphasis on attracting instructors in math, science, and nursing—the subjects most in need of teachers and educators, especially from under-represented minority groups. These fast-track programs are tailored to meet the needs of plus 50 learners through flexible and compressed scheduling, allowing working adults an easy and accessible way to obtain certification with an accelerated schedule.
Shoreline Community College (Shoreline, Washington)
Offers courses for adults age 50 and up who are returning to work or changing careers. Among the courses offered are computer skills, website design, job-hunting and business writing.
Video: College staff discuss the Plus 50 Initiative
Spoon River College (Canton, Illinois)
Delivers a “whole college” support system for students age 50 and up seeking academic certificates in welding, commercial driver’s license, certified nursing assistant and health occupations or two year academic degrees in a variety of fields. Provides an Employability Skills Center providing advising, career exploration, basic skills development, and one-on-one technology assistance. Offers short-term certifications and credentials in food service sanitation, K-12 paraprofessional, human resources, health occupations, gerontology, administrative professional and Microsoft Office. Participates in the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate program.
St. Louis Community College (St. Louis, MO)
Offers ongoing opportunities to learn successful tips on retooling professional skills, the latest approaches in job interviewing, and tips on researching possible job prospects. The college has developed a short-term, 120 hour, home health caregiver training for plus 50 learners that combines classroom instruction, lab training and a practicum.
Video: College staff offer college completion tips
Video: College staff discuss changes in the Plus 50 Initiative due to the economic recession
Video: College staff discuss the Plus 50 Initiative
University of Alaska - Anchorage Community and Technical College
(Anchorage, AK)
Delivers specialized support and services for plus 50 students seeking to return to college to complete a degree or certificate with the intention of developing skills necessary to compete in today's job market. The colleges has a single point of contact for plus 50 students returning to college.
Westchester Community College (Valhalla, New York)
Offers an associate degree for plus 50 adults who are just starting college and those seeking to return. Both online and classroom instruction are available. Non-credit offerings are designed for plus 50 adults looking for a new career, upgraded skills or training to start a business – including workforce training programs in health information technology, bookkeeping, small business development, computer training, job search skills, encore careers, and nurse leadership.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College (Valdosta, Georgia)
Offers computer courses designed for plus 50 adults.