Sinclair named nation’s top school for vocational training

Sinclair Community College was ranked the top school in the country for vocational training by a recent research study.

Sinclair topped more than 711 other colleges nationwide to garner the top spot in a research study conducted by Real Work Matters, a website that operates as a resource hub for students interested in obtaining vocational, trade or technical training after graduating from high school.

“This is a national effort and it’s exciting that Sinclair is a leading example for other colleges across the nation,” said Sinclair president Steve Johnson.

The study used the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System and the Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Factors included were the cost of attendance, the number of associate degrees and certificates offered, graduation rate, student retention, percent of students working after six years and the average annual earnings for students 10 years after graduation, among other things, according to a release.

“Over the years, Sinclair has seen an increasing number of students entering the workforce and filling in-demand jobs because of our strong focus on work-based training programs,” Johnson said. “We’ve invested in apprenticeship and internship programs because our students have made it clear that they want to spend less time in school and more time gaining actual work experience.”

Certificate programs are the fastest growing sector of higher education. Nationally, there has been 70 percent growth in certificates awarded over the last 20 years, according to the Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

Sinclair is no exception to the trend as certificates made up more than 60 percent of the credentials awarded to 2017 Sinclair graduates.

Sinclair’s ranking as a top college for vocational training comes just a few weeks after the school announced it would award more certificates and degrees at spring graduation than ever before. The college handed out more than 6,700 credentials to over 5,370 students.

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