First Graduating Class of E2C Construction Program

Original Article From: College of Marin: Marin Career Education

On December 1, the first class of the Education to Career (E2C) Construction program graduated, with accolades and career readiness skills for immediate employment in the construction industry. The E2C program – a partnership of College of Marin, Canal Alliance, CareerPoint Marin, and the Marin Builders Association – offers entry-level career training for high-demand jobs in Marin County.

Months of tireless work culminated in an amazing outcome: a graduating class that received 50 hours of construction-focused classroom and lab instruction, financial and personal support and counseling and a grand finale of an E2C Hiring Fair offering job placement.

“In my nearly 30 years in higher education, I can’t recall a program that I am more proud of,” said COM President David Wain Coon, who credited the success of E2C to the “strength of the collaboration between COM, Canal Alliance, Marin Builders Association, and Career Point Marin.

“As a community college, serving all members of our community is core to our mission,” President Coon said during the graduation presentation. “This includes providing the training and support necessary that leads to skills development and employment with a livable wage while improving the quality of lives for the individual participants and their families.”

The Fall 2018 pilot E2C program focused specifically on construction, an industry which typically provides a living wage, with benefits and opportunities for long-term career growth.

The instructional goal was to provide adult students with hands-on learning to develop the necessary skills to enter the construction field with confidence and competence. Looking ahead, COM will build on the success of this first E2C program by broadening the program to other industries, including hospitality, dental assisting, healthcare, and automotive.