Nontraditional students face challenges that their peers may not. Many adult learners are parents. They may also hold full or part-time jobs. Both make juggling a school schedule more difficult. However, community colleges have options that can ease the time constraints nontraditional students face including online classes and courses with flexible start dates. As a single mom to an 8-year-old and a 10-yearold, Dodd took advantage of Valencia’s Flex Start courses, completing 12 credit hours in the fall of 2020 and 17 credit hours in the spring 2021 semester. As Vice President of Valencia College’s Student Affairs, Joe Richardson is aware of the struggles faced by nontraditional students. “Deciding to enroll in college as an adult learner is a huge decision, and represents a willingness to make an investment in yourself and in your future,” Richardson says. But he says the faculty and staff at the college are there to encourage and support all students. “You will not walk this journey alone,” Richardson says. Training Programs
For some Central Floridians, heading back into the classroom does not mean pursuing a degree, but rather picking up a new skill or retraining for a different occupation. The benefit of enrolling in training programs is these courses can be completed in a shorter amount of time compared to earning an associates or bachelor’s degree. Jobs with course-based certifications include medical assistant, carpenter, IT specialist, distribution operations technician and more. Valencia College offers short-term job training programs in manufacturing, construction, transportation, logistics, and healthcare. According to the college, enrollment for its job training programs nearly doubled for the 2020-to-2021 school year compared to the previous 2019-to-2020 academic term. The
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Central Florida Lifestyle | August 2021
2020-to-2021 job training courses saw a total of 797 new students, many who were unemployed or underemployed, begin their education Boot Camps, or short but intensive training courses in digital skills such as coding, have attracted students during the pandemic, too. Sean Armstrong, Executive Director of Continuing Education at the University of Central Florida, says UCF’s Boot Camps have seen an uptick in enrollment over the past 15 months. “Students come to UCF Boot Camps from all professional backgrounds and experience levels, from recent graduates to hospitality workers to business owners,” Armstrong says. “They all share a common desire to learn the technology skills that power today’s digital economy in order to build more rewarding lives and careers.” These classes prepare learners for careers in coding, data analytics, digital marketing, and user experience and design. About 42% of students in the training courses do not have a bachelor’s degree. Graduation
This past summer, Dodd graduated from Valencia College with an associate’s degree. She’s since transferred to UCF and is working toward her bachelor’s, although she ultimately hopes to achieve a master’s degree in clinical psychology. “Now I have my AA,” Dodd says. “That’s something that can never be taken from me.” As an adult learner, Dodd feels that she values her education in a way that she wouldn’t have when she was younger. But it’s not an easy process and she likens the experience to hitting the gym for a workout. “You really don’t want to do it at first, but then you start making yourself go,” Dodd says. “And then all of a sudden you start seeing this result and you’re motivated by it to keep going on.” Her advice to other adults considering going back to school: Just go for it. “The biggest thing is just taking that first step,” Dodd says.