University of Phoenix and Louisiana Community & Technical College System Announce New Educational Agreement

Alliance will focus on creating career pathways and closing the workforce skills gap

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Mar 20, 2013, 10:40 ET

BATON ROUGE, La., March 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Phoenix® and the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) recently announced the formation of a strategic agreement to help students bridge the educational gap between two and four-year degree programs, putting students on a path toward advanced degree completion and career success.

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Kim Owens, Vice President of the Workforce Solutions Community College Center of Excellence, University of Phoenix, and Dr. Joe May, President of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System. (PRNewsFoto/University of Phoenix) (PRNewsFoto/UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX)

A signing ceremony for the agreement was held at the at the LCTCS tenth annual conference in downtown Baton Rouge on March 14. Dr. Joe May, President of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System, and Kim Owens, Vice President of the Workforce Solutions Community College Center of Excellence at University of Phoenix participated in the ceremony. The signing was part of a three-day schedule of events that focused on current issues and best practices in career and technical education, academic and student services, transfer and articulation, e-learning and workforce development.

Through this agreement, University of Phoenix and LCTCS will work with Louisiana community and technical colleges, area businesses, and academic leaders to identify workforce needs and develop specialized curriculum and specific career pathways to address workforce skills gaps. Students will have the opportunity to earn an associate degree at any LCTCS member college campus and then seamlessly transition to a bachelor's degree program at University of Phoenix.

"Our goal at LCTCS is to support Louisiana college students and implement workforce development initiatives that grow our workforce and our economy," said Dr. May. "This partnership with University of Phoenix helps provide our community college graduates, who already possess relevant technical skills, with an opportunity to become tomorrow's industry leaders."

The nationwide skills gap – the discrepancy between the skills that employers require and the skills that employees possess – has become increasingly evident in recent years. For the first time, a generation of Americans will be less educated than their parents and grandparents. In an effort to address the skills gap issue, University of Phoenix has formed relationships with community colleges across the country. Community colleges are a fundamental educational resource and give students access to an array of essential technical programs. The LCTCS agreement will allow University of Phoenix to transfer associate-degreed students in Louisiana toward earning a bachelor's degree in the field of their choosing.

"We are thrilled to partner with such a well-respected and well-connected organization like the Louisiana Community & Technical College System," said Owens. "We know that community colleges are vital to Louisiana communities and their workforce, and we look forward to working with their leadership to create an efficient pathway from an associate to a bachelor's degree. This initiative is a promising step toward closing the growing skills gap."

To learn more about the Louisiana Community & Technical College System's effort to improve educational programs in Louisiana, visit www.lctcs.edu.

University of Phoenix's Community College Center of Excellence (CCCE) is the gateway for community colleges and their students to connect with the University. The CCCE contributes to developing the workforce by guiding associate-degreed students on their path to earning a bachelor's degree while also connecting them to careers.

University of Phoenix's partnership with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System is one of many initiatives it is undertaking to better equip the American workforce with the tools they need for success. To learn about other University of Phoenix's innovative partnerships, learning tools, and program offerings, visit apollogrp.edu/workforce.

About the Louisiana Community & Technical College System
Louisiana's Workforce Solution: The Louisiana Community and Technical College System enrolls more than 75,000 students at its institutions throughout the state. Providing a Day One Guarantee, our colleges strive to direct the high demand, industry-sensitive training our State needs. The LCTCS focuses on workforce and economic development, and on improving the quality of life of Louisiana's citizens through educational programs offered at 14 community and technical colleges. System colleges include: Baton Rouge Community College, Bossier Parish Community College, Capital Area Technical College, Central Louisiana Technical Community College, Delgado Community College, L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College, Louisiana Delta Community College, Northshore Technical Community College, Northwest Louisiana Technical College, Nunez Community College, River Parishes Community College, South Central Louisiana Technical College, South Louisiana Community College and SOWELA Technical Community College.

About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix® is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning can help students pursue personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.phoenix.edu.

SOURCE University of Phoenix