CBC adds 12 college and career pathways for students

Coastal Bend College’s Adult Basic Education and Continuing Education divisions are proud to announce the implementation of 12 college and career pathways for students. These pathways are designed as open access points for students who have completed a high school education or are in the process through enrollment in a GED program, particularly CBC’s ABE/GED program.

The following 12 pathways were created to provide career options, milestones of success, and skills that directly lead to a higher level certificate or degree at CBC:

· Bookkeeping Specialist Certificate

· CIT – Networking Certificate

· CIT – Web Design Certificate

· Criminal Justice Certificate

· Early Childhood Specialist Certificate

· Medical Coding Specialist Certificate

· Office Specialist Certificate

· Oil and Gas Safety Certificate

· Oil Patch Preparation System (OPPS) Certificate

· Welding Specialist Certificate

· CDL Certificate

· CNA Certificate

In addition, these pathways will also assist CBC in providing additional training and education to high school students who are not at the collegiate level, but still need a skill to enter into the workforce. These pathways will be presented to local high schools in spring 2014 and on a continuous basis in an effort to reach all students. CBC’s goal is to expand higher education by delivering quality, affordable training and educational opportunities to anyone wishing to enter college and/or the workforce.

These career pathways also benefit students participating in the Vocational Advancement Basic Education Grant (VAST). VAST aims to build educational and training opportunities at CBC that will help students take advantage of the economic opportunities available in the Eagle Ford Shale. Furthermore, VAST opens up college opportunities and certificate training for students currently underutilized in the region due to lower skills, limited English and lack of a GED or high school diploma.

These pathways have the flexibility to be offered for credit or non-credit and will be offered to the general public and businesses as continuing education courses. For more information, please contact Dr. Denise Hutchinson-Bell, Director of Adult Basic Education, at (361) 354-2742 or via email at dhbell@coastalbend.edu.

The Coastal Bend College Board of Trustees approved the implementation of the new general education core curriculum for fall 2014. The new core curriculum was created utilizing the guidelines set forth by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and also includes input from CBC faculty and staff. Beginning fall 2014, students will only have to complete 42 semester credit hours in order to graduate/complete the core and transfer to a four-year university. The new core curriculum degree plan will be published in the 2014-2015 CBC Course Catalog that will be available in spring 2014.

The Board also approved maintaining a four-day instructional week and a five-day work week during the fall and spring semesters. CBC is committed to keeping higher education accessible and affordable for all students, and by maintaining a four-day instructional week, students will not be burdened with extra costs such as gas and childcare by having to attend class an extra day each week. CBC faculty and staff will work five-days a week in order to provide students with access to their professors and college services, while also allowing time for faculty and staff to attend trainings and meetings.

Beginning in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the college will no longer contribute the additional 1.9% supplement for employees utilizing the Optional Retirement Program (ORP). In FY14, for the first time, the State is only providing one half of the state rate to institutions, which means that although the rate is 6.6% this year, the State provides only 3.3% contribution to institutions. This impact continues to decline with fewer employees in the system however it is still an additional local cost to CBC. The number of projected employees impacted is 14.

The December 2013 CBC Board of Trustees regular meeting has been moved from Thursday, December 19 to Tuesday, December 17 at 5 p.m. inside the Robert J. Beasley Administration Building, Sandy Dirks Board Room, 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102.

At Coastal Bend College your future begins here—and now. Let us help you advance your career and education. With so many programs, there’s bound to be something perfect for you. Let us tell you how. Contact us for more information about the programs and courses offered at Coastal Bend College by calling 1-866-722-2838 ext. 2266. Or you can visit us on the web at http://www.coastalbend.edu. You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/coastalbendcollege and Twitter at www.twitter.com/cbcfuture.