Education: The Bridge to All Possibilities

Ageneral refrain we often hear is that in order to succeed, the first essential tool is a good education. That’s because education is the tried-and-true gateway between an individual and a prosperous life. But how does that correlate with the job market?

On the management side, hiring an educated and skilled team is, to be sure, the fastest and smartest way to implement a thriving, innovative and effective workforce. And what’s the quickest, most cost-effective way to bridge education with industry? Working through your local community college, of course!

Community colleges are the catalyst for making a significant impact on the talented workforce we produce across the country. According to Think Impact, a free resource for education- and career-related trends and data, there are 942 community colleges in the United States, and about 12.4 million students are enrolled in them. Other important notes of interest about community colleges:

• Approximately 66% of undergraduates have enrolled in a community college at some point after completing high school.

• On average, a community college student who graduates with an associate degree will earn $5,400 more annually compared with a college dropout.

Tarrant County College has grown to be the seventh-largest college or university in the state of Texas and one of the nation’s largest institutions of higher education. We provide a diverse, skilled and workforce-aligned talent pool.

Welcome to the sixth issue of our award-winning The Lens magazine, the only magazine in D/FW focusing on workforce and economic development topics. This issue examines why institutions of higher education and businesses must strategically align to ensure success for all parties involved (businesses, employees, customers). The focus is also on the importance of lifelong learning, workforce trends for 2023 and how to make your business a shining star to attract talent. Most important, we highlight Tarrant County College alumni who are thriving, and the impact their education had on elevating them to a successful life. We are so proud of our students and the careers they have built.

Empower through education always!

Shannon E. Bryan t , MEd, CWDP, LSSGB executive vice president for corporate solutions & economic development, tarrant county college district host, the workforce lens podcast editor-in-chief, the lens magazine publication shannon.bryant@tccd.edu

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Shannon Bryant, MEd, CWDP, LSSGB

CHANCELLOR

Elva LeBlanc, PhD

BOARD

Teresa Ayala, President

Kenneth Barr, Vice President

Jeannie Deakyne, Secretary

Shannon Wood, District 2

Leonard Hornsby, Assistant Secretary

Bill Greenhill, District 4

Gwendolyn Morrison, District 6

EDITORIAL

Reginald Gates