West Hills College Lemoore earns special recognition

WHCL was named one of the CCCCO’s Strong Workforce Stars, earning recognition for the outstanding workforce outcomes for six of its programs. WHCL was recognized for its Accounting, Child Development-Early Care and Education, Administration of Justice, Restaurant and Food Services and Management, Business Management, and Nursing programs. Recognition was based on program outcomes including an increase in earnings for graduates, and attainment of a living wage after completion of the program.

“West Hills College Lemoore has focused on strong Career Education programs aligned to what industry and business partners need,” said Kris Costa, Dean of Career Technical Education at WHCL. “This star designation is evidence of the hard work over the last several years to build these opportunities for students, with skills that matter to employers and get students to the finish line. We do pursue student success relentlessly, and our students are experiencing career success as a result.”

WHCL earned four bronze stars: for accounting, which saw a 70% increase in earnings for students who graduated from the program; Child Development-Early Care and Education, which saw a 64% increase in earnings; Administration of Justice, which saw a 60% increase in earnings; and Restaurant and Food Services and Management, which saw an 88% increase in earnings.

One silver star was earned for WHCL’s Business Management program, which had post-college outcomes of 70% increase in earnings and 70% of students attaining the local living wage.

The gold star was awarded for the WHCL nursing program, whose graduates saw a 59% increase in earnings. Also, 98% of its graduates attained the regional-living wage, and 100% of students are employed in a job like their field of study.

California Community Colleges Strong Workforce Stars, launched in 2017, is an annual recognition and celebration for career education programs, also known as career technical education, whose students show significant gains in factors important for advancing social mobility – a substantial increase in earnings, attainment of a living wage and a job closely matched with the field of study. College programs may receive recognition at one of three levels: Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, and Gold Stars depending on how many of three outcomes thresholds they meet.