LEARNING WORKING THRIVING
The Experiences of Emily Griffith Technical College Students
WHO WE ARE
“Emily Griffith was the only institute, the only College that gave me the opportunity to start studying again.”
UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITY
ABOUT EMILY GRIFFITH FOUNDATION
Founded in 1991, Emily Griffith Foundation is the closest funding partner to Emily Griffith Technical College and serves as a critical connection between funding opportunities and the College.
The Foundation’s unique relationship with the College allows it to focus on what it does best – preparing students for jobs –while the Foundation identifies and raises funds the College would otherwise be unable to access, and provides money to support the College’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and programs.
The Foundation provides more than $1 million annually to Emily Griffith Technical College for scholarships, wraparound financial support, and programmatic investments. The Foundation supports nearly 500 students annually with direct financial assistance by providing tuition scholarships and cash stipends through its 360 Fund. The average tuition for Career
and Technical Education (CTE) certificate programs at Emily Griffith Technical College is $7,730, with most students paying around $1,500 out of pocket after financial aid, such as Pell Grants. The Foundation’s average awards are $1,250 for scholarships and $750 in 360 Fund stipends, helping to bridge the financial gap for students.
ABOUT EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Emily Griffith Technical College provides a wide range of workforce training programs, including Career and Technical Education (CTE) certificate programs and Registered Apprenticeship programs in partnership with industry employers across Colorado. The College also offers English Language Acquisition (ELA) courses, targeted career services for immigrants and refugees, and Vocational Transitions courses that help underserved populations transition into certificate programs. Additionally, High School Equivalency/GED preparation courses are available to support learners pursuing their educational goals.
The College proudly maintains some of the highest Completion, Placement, and Licensure rates of postsecondary institutes in Colorado; 2022-23 rates were 85%, 93%, and 100%, respectively.
2022-23 STUDENT ENROLLMENT
BREAKDOWN:
Career and Technical Education (CTE): 1,348 (including 316 area high school students served through Concurrent Enrollment)
Apprenticeship: 4,793
English Language Acquisition (ELA): 1,934
High School Equivalency / GED: 93
2022-23 SUCCESS RATES
ABOUT THIS REPORT
In 2024, Emily Griffith Foundation commissioned a report from Ednium: The Alumni Collective and research partner, Education & Community, to learn more about the lived experiences of Emily Griffith Technical College’s students, alumni, and former students who did not complete their programs. This report focuses solely on students in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and does not include students from Emily Griffith’s Apprenticeship programs, English language classes, or GED preparation courses.
As part of the report, 930 learners started the survey, 734 learners completed it, and 47 participated in community dialogues about their experiences with the College and the financial support, if any, they received from the Foundation.
COMPLETION
85% of learners completed their programs
PLACEMENT
93% of learners got career-track jobs
Ednium and Education & Community based survey questions and community dialogue topics on culture conversations previously had with leadership from the Foundation and the College.
The demographics of the learners surveyed represent diverse communities, and more than 58% of them say they’re the first person in their immediate family to receive a technical or professional certification.
This is the most comprehensive gathering of feedback Emily Griffith Foundation has commissioned about the College’s learners.
This exploration of learners’ perspectives provides incredible insight into the successes of the College and Foundation, and helps us better inform our work going forward.
LICENSURE
100% of learners earned a license in their field
Learner Satisfaction
Of all the meaningful data in this report, we’re extremely proud of the indicators of our learners’ satisfaction. There’s overwhelming support for Emily Griffith Technical College’s and Emily Griffith Foundation’s work.
of students and graduates would recommend Emily Griffith Technical College to friends and family
EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION DEMOGRAPHICS
Average age of students: 29
Hispanic/Latino
White
Black/African American
Asian
Multiracial
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
Native American/ Indigenous/ Alaska Native
Unknown
RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
68% of respondents are women
49% of respondents identify as Hispanic or Latino
14% of respondents identify as Black or African American
58% of learners say they’re the first person in their immediate family to receive a technical or professional certification
WHAT MOTIVATES EMILY GRIFFITH LEARNERS
Learners find tremendous value in an Emily Griffith Technical College education.
When asked why they choose Emily Griffith, learners say cost, pursuit of a specific career, program flexibility, and program length are among the top reasons they enrolled.
Learners say the College offers clear value. Additionally, the Foundation’s tuition and financial support reduces costs, which makes it easier for students to finish their programs. Students see the College as a strong choice for pursuing their dreams.
WHY LEARNERS CHOOSE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE
COST
PURSUIT OF SPECIFIC CAREER
SELFDETERMINATION
PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY
PROGRAM LENGTH
Survey results also show the College’s learners are very motivated. When asked what was most influential in their decision to pursue a professional or technical certification, 57% of learners say they were self-motivated, confirming what we’ve long known: The College’s students are driven by a deep desire to thrive.
Hands-on experience is also incredibly important to the College’s learners. They have discovered tremendous value in the kind of real-world learning the College provides. As the College’s primary funding partner, the Foundation helps enhance handson learning by providing programmatic support, in addition to direct student support. For example, the Foundation secured a grant to fund updates to the College’s Automotive Service program that will enable the program to offer foundational training in hybrid and electric vehicle service.
“This was an opportunity and a calling for me to try to do something that I love, and believe in myself with the support of my family members and my teachers and peers.”
DRIVEN TO SUCCEED
57% of learners say they were self-motivated to pursue education
THE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
of graduates chose Emily Griffith Technical College because of access to scholarships 34 % 29 %
of current students chose Emily Griffith Technical College because of access to scholarships
“After
EXPERIENCE WITHIN REACH
being in the workforce for a while, I realized being on a shop floor, working with my hands, was what really called to me. [Emily Griffith Technical College] was more or less my last chance at getting a higher education that I could afford.”
HOW EMILY GRIFFITH FOUNDATION
SUPPORTS LEARNERS
Emily Griffith Foundation empowers Emily Griffith Technical College’s learners by providing scholarships and wraparound support, so learners can graduate debt-free.
The Foundation’s financial support includes tuition assistance and the 360 Fund, which provides direct cash stipends to learners. Those stipends can be used for housing, transportation, medical, or childcare costs –any assistance the learner deems necessary to ensure they can stay in their program through completion.
The Foundation’s support makes it possible for learners to focus on their studies, and in many cases, their ample responsibilities outside of school.
Faculty and Peer Support
Beyond financial assistance, students said they received helpful support from their program faculty and from their peers. This is a clear indicator that the relationships and community learners develop in the College is another key factor in their success.
72% of current students say faculty support is very or extremely helpful to their success
68% of current students say peer support is very or extremely helpful to their success
FINANCIAL SECURITY: ZERO DEBT
60 %
The feedback tells us our support is having an impact: 60% of graduates surveyed said they completed their programs with no education-related or personal debt (e.g., credit cards or personal loans), and another 49% of current students surveyed anticipate they won’t graduate with debt either. of surveyed graduates completed their programs with no education-related or personal debt
FINANCIAL SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
“I got a lot of help when I was applying for financial aid, which was really helpful, and I was able to get a good bit back, so that helped cover most of my tuition, which was very nice.”
CHALLENGES EMILY GRIFFITH LEARNERS FACE
Although 85% of learners complete their Career and Technical Education programs, it’s critical for Emily Griffith Foundation and Emily Griffith Technical College to understand the challenges learners encounter during their programs or why some stop attending.
Current students and graduates say the biggest challenges they face during their programs include life expenses, balancing job responsibilities with school, balancing family responsibilities with school, and transportation, specifically parking at the downtown campus.
Life expenses
Transportation
Balancing job
responsibilities with school
Balancing family responsibilities with school
Survey data and discussions in community dialogues illuminate that many learners are working while they’re enrolled at the College, and they need varied levels of support and assistance to balance life and school throughout their programs.
Roughly 60% of learners report relying on work income to pay for life’s expenses while enrolled. Even so, learners say they anticipated the challenges they would face enrolling in the College. They also said they saw the College as the most efficient and cost-effective option to pursue their education.
During community dialogues, some learners reported few disruptions in their programs, while others describe inconsistent experiences and said they experienced unexpected changes in program schedules, curriculum, or faculty.
And, while some reported being satisfied with the College’s hands-on learning, others said programs need more emphasis on real-world applications and experiences.
As the Foundation explores ways to maximize its impact on learners, it’s also helpful to understand how we may be able to support former students who stopped attending the College before completing their programs.
Those former students tell us they would re-enroll at the College if they had the necessary support to address challenges they faced; specifically, they need additional help with life- and education-related expenses, which the Foundation is uniquely positioned to support.
SUPPORT NEEDED FOR FORMER STUDENTS WHO STOPPED ATTENDING IN ORDER TO RE-ENROLL
WORKING WHILE STUDYING
63 % 57 % 60 %
would need financial support for life’s expenses
would need financial support for student expenses
of current students and graduates report relying on work income to pay for life’s expenses while enrolled
EMILY GRIFFITH LEARNERS’ SATISFACTION
Some of the most powerful indicators of learner satisfaction are whether students would re-enroll at Emily Griffith Technical College, and whether they would recommend the College to their friends or family.
Most current students – roughly 60% – say they would re-enroll at the College in the same program, and another 6% say they would re-enroll at the College in a different program.
STUDENTS WOULD ENROLL AGAIN
Roughly 66% of current students would re-enroll at Emily Griffith Technical College
Roughly 14% of graduates said they would enroll again at Emily Griffith Technical College in a different program
Overwhelmingly, current students and graduates also say they would recommend the College to friends and family, demonstrating that the College’s learners are some of its greatest ambassadors.
Broadly, these perspectives indicate high levels of satisfaction with the College.
AMBASSADORS FOR EDUCATION
90% of students and graduates would recommend Emily Griffith Technical College to friends and family
THE FUTURE FOR EMILY GIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE’S LEARNERS
Learning never ends.
Current students and graduates of Emily Griffith Technical College tell us they’re motivated to pursue additional education and find work directly related to their Emily Griffith education.
This demonstrates a strong commitment to continuous learning and advancement among the College’s learners.
LEARNING, WORKING, THRIVING
13 % 48 %
of current students and graduates anticipate pursuing additional education
of current Emily Griffith Technical College students plan to start their own business
58 % 42 %
of current students plan to find work related to their Emily Griffith Technical College education of graduates found work directly related to their Emily Griffith Technical College education
Nearly 30% of graduates say their income increased more than $10,000 per year as a result of completing their College program, while nearly 30% said their income did not increase at all. 36% of current students say they don’t know what to anticipate in terms of a pay increase, while 21% say they anticipate their pay will increase more than $20,000 per year.
This may indicate a need to provide more career development services, better manage learners’ expectations, and provide them with transparent data about job markets, so they feel equipped to maximize the value of their technical or professional certifications.
CONCLUSION
This report has provided incredible insight into the impact of Emily Griffith Technical College and Emily Griffith Foundation on the lives of our students and alumni. We recognize there are opportunities to implement changes, as well as for ongoing inquiry. We look forward to taking those steps in the near future.
We are grateful to the learners who completed the survey and participated in community dialogues about their experiences as students. Their participation in this report supports Emily Griffith’s efforts to grow, improve and scale real-world education for all who wish to learn and thrive.
You’re encouraged to learn more about our work at EGFoundation.org and EmilyGriffith.edu. Your continued support makes a difference in the lives of thousands of students.
