GTCC receives $3 Million Title III grant to increase student success in high-demand career pathways

Guilford Technical Community College recently received a $3 million, five-year Title III - Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant from the Department of Education (and administered by the Department of Labor) to improve the student onboarding and advising processes for those seeking degrees in high-demand, high-skill career pathways through the college’s Guided Pathways programs.

As a public two-year college, GTCC serves over 31,500 students in more than 80 program areas each year, with an open-door admissions policy. For the college’s competitive Guided Pathways programs students are selected based on an application process that considers academic credentials and college readiness as specific skills are needed and there is limited capacity in each program.

The GTCC SIP project will utilize these grant funds to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the GTCC student onboarding experience, develop more efficient onboarding processes for stronger student support, and establish career-aligned advising services so that students have a clear understanding of career pathway needs.

“Our number one goal at GTCC is student success,” said GTCC President Anthony Clarke, Ph.D. “These funds will allow us to hone in on our Guided Entry Programs with a goal of improving processes and systems for advising, integrating career assessments into advising, and establishing an advising model based on best practices for student success and completion. This grant is one of the most significant the college has received, and reflects the growing public and private investment in GTCC, driven by the strong workforce outcomes our students and programs continue to deliver.”

GTCC’s competitive Guided Entry Programs include: Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Dental Assisting, Surgical Technology, Radiography, Medical Assisting, Physical Therapist Assistant, Emergency Medical Science, and Medical Sonography. GTCC will implement early assessments to ensure that students interested in these programs have the aligned aptitudes and skills to succeed. As the need for health care and allied health professionals continues to grow, these students have great opportunities for future career success.