MCC awarded multimillion-dollar grant to connect students more directly to workplaces
McHenry County College has been awarded a five-year, multimillion-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help more students explore careers, gain real-world work experience, and build a clearer path to completing their degrees.
The grant is awarded through the Department of Education’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program. It will support the Crystal Lake community college’s new Work-Learning Advantage, an initiative designed around the idea that the more students can see, experience, and participate in work environments, the more clearly they can see their own future in it.
Through the program, students will have opportunities to explore careers firsthand, from meeting employers and visiting workplaces to paid work-based learning experiences, such as job shadowing, internships, and apprenticeships.
The initiative will include a new Future-Ready Center, transforming the traditional career services model into a dynamic hub that helps students identify their interests and skills, explore careers, develop individualized plans, and connect with employers about opportunities, according to MCC.
Specialized Work-Based Learning coaches will work one-on-one with students to connect them with experiences that align with their academic and career interests. MCC will design these opportunities in partnership with local employers to ensure students are developing the skills and experience employers need.
The Work-Learning Advantage also will bring career preparation more deeply into the classroom, incorporating employability skills such as teamwork, adaptability, communication, and professionalism into college courses.
New technology will help MCC expand and track students’ participation in work experiences outside the classroom, while a new Employability Skills certificate will give students a tangible credential to demonstrate the skills they have developed.
MCC’s goal for the Work-Learning Advantage is to help students see the connection between what they are learning and where it can take them.
“We are honored to receive this transformative award, which represents an investment in the idea that every student deserves the opportunity to see what is possible for their future,” MCC President Clint Gabbard said. “The Work-Learning Advantage will help MCC students turn education into action, connecting their talents and skills with what employers need. As students have more opportunities to explore careers, gain work experience, and see how their education connects to a career, they will be more encouraged to keep moving forward.”
The Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant will be disbursed to MCC over five years. This award marks the second Title III grant the college has received in the last decade. The first five-year grant, awarded in 2019 for $2.25 million, helped the college improve student engagement, persistence and completion.
“McHenry County College is a valued institution in our community, and they play an important role in preparing students for successful careers and meeting the workforce needs of our region,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, a Naperville Democrat. “I congratulate them on receiving this federal investment, which will help students gain practical experience and make a smoother transition from the classroom into the workforce.”