skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

U.S. gender wage gap grows for first time in a decade; Trump has embraced NC's Mark Robinson, calling him 'Martin Luther King on steroids'; Volunteers sought as early voting kicks off in MN; Women's political contributions in congressional races fall short of men's.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Rising threats of political violence, a Federal Reserve rate cut, crypto industry campaign contributions and reproductive rights are shaping today's political landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Report: College Career Programs Give Big Boost to Oregonians' Wages

play audio
Play

Tuesday, June 5, 2018   

PORTLAND, Ore. – The traditional college route isn't the only way for Oregon workers to boost their wages. Recipients get big benefits from earning career-focused certificates at institutions such as community colleges, in some cases doubling their wages, according to a new Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report.

Workers who earn community-college certificates boost their earnings by an average of $5,000, compared with before taking the program - although the benefits vary according to work field and age.

Neil Ridley, the state initiatives director of the Georgetown Center is a co-author of the report.

"Certificate programs, just by their nature, are much more focused on preparation for - whether it's a specific job or a set of related jobs - a local labor market," he says.

Ridley says workers under the age of 30 see most of the wage gains from certificate programs, while older workers typically see an employment boost. Certificates in the health industry generate the largest gains in earnings, averaging more than $10,000.

Ridley also notes that a significant number of certificate seekers are switching from industries where job opportunities are on the decline, such as manufacturing.

"Certificate programs can help people reposition themselves," he adds. "It's a way to break into a new field, get an entry-level credential perhaps, and start working in health care, health-care industry. Try to move into a more stable field, perhaps."

The report finds the role of community colleges is growing too. Certificates from community colleges are increasing as numbers decline from private, two-year institutions, including for-profit colleges.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
Recipients of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Grant can now access funding to drive financing for thousands of climate-focused and clean energy initiatives. (bilanol/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Michigan's most vulnerable communities are receiving federal funding to fight the devastating effects of climate change. It's part of the $27 billion …


Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Health Literacy Month, and a Denver-based group is working to help health professionals break a persistent pattern of discrimination …

Environment

play sound

A new report contends fossil fuel funding has biased Columbia University's climate research. The report, by two Columbia students, shows the …


Alabama releases roughly 220,279 men and 78,247 women from its prisons and jails each year. (Chad Robertson/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

An Alabama woman is on a mission to help people who've been incarcerated for decades successfully transition back into society. The mission to …

Health and Wellness

play sound

In North Carolina, the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the actual cost of dental care has reached a crisis point, impacting both …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Environment

play sound

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Environment

play sound

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking aim at the huge amount of energy used by data centers, now and in the future. They have developed a …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021