WCC receives $2M grant from Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation to create prosperity in Ypsilanti ...
Summary
ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washtenaw Community College (WCC) has been awarded a $2.09 million grant to launch a jobs and education initiative to boost the quality of life and outcomes for underrepresented populations in Ypsilanti.The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation grant will fund WCCs new Advance Ypsi initiative to strengthen pathways to prosperity through education and career development.Advance Ypsi is part of the Detroit Regional Chambers Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3), which today announced over $30 million in support from Ballmer Group and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation. The D3C3 initiative is a partnership with seven Southeast Michigan community colleges, including Washtenaw, to ensure students have equitable educational opportunities and graduate with high-value credentials or degrees that lead to good-paying, in-demand jobs with local employers, boosting the Regions overall prosperity.Our initiative will serve 300 Ypsilanti Community Schools high school students and adults from Ypsilanti over three years, training and preparing them for careers with an earning potential of at least $40,000. This is an historic initiative that has the potential to transform the regional talent pipeline in Southeast Michigan and support the goal of college completion.Advance Ypsi will launch in the Fall of 2023 with an emphasis on careers in mobility-focused transportation, manufacturing and IT sectors.We are working hand in hand with YCS, employers and WCC faculty to develop curriculum that pairs classroom instruction with real-world experience to equip students for jobs in high-demand sectors, many of which are going unfilled in todays economy due to a lack of skilled workers, said Brandon Tucker, WCC Vice President & Chief Workforce and Community Development Officer.Students will be supported every step of the way through a robust career coaching model that will include mentors, tutoring, small class sizes for deeper learning opportunities, expert resources and on-the-job training from employers.For the past decade WCC and Ypsilanti Community Schools have come together to focus on dual enrollment strategies and other community initiatives, including partnering with the Ypsilanti-based Michigan Works! Foundations generous support speaks to the value of this initiative and importance of collaborative and job-focused education that will benefit employers, families, and the Region.D3C3 developed out of the Chambers Detroit Regional Talent Compact, a 10-year equity-driven initiative to increase the Regions postsecondary attainment rate to 60% and reduce the racial equity gap by half by 2030 the same 60 by 30 goal later adopted by the State of Michigan.Community colleges are the largest and one of the most important talent development asset in Southeast Michigan. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.Ballmer Group is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States, funding leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities.