Citizens, Education Design Lab, and Community College of Philadelphia to Launch New Pathways to Economic Mobility for Local Workforce

Innovative "Micro-pathways" Made Possible by Citizens Community College Accelerator

Philadelphia(May 9, 2023) - Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) announced today the launch of the "Electro-Mechanical Technology" and "Computer Support Specialist Technician" programs, two innovative "micro-pathway" opportunities made possible by the Citizens Community College Accelerator. These programs will put the necessary infrastructure in place to ensure access to opportunity for learners, access to skilled, diverse talent for local employers, and will demonstrate to the nation a powerful education/employer partnership model for scale. Classes will begin on Monday, May 22.

"Community College of Philadelphia is proud to partner with Citizens and Education Design Lab to bring relevant micro-pathways to our students," said Dr. Donald Guy Generals, president, Community College of Philadelphia. "Even more exciting, both programs will be offered at our new Career and Advanced Technology Center, featuring state-of-the-art technology to provide hands-on learning opportunities for our students. We look forward to following students' journeys as they move from the classroom to the workforce, making an impact in their communities."

Citizens has partnered with Education Design Lab, a nonprofit that co-designs, tests, and builds new education models that address the rapidly changing economy, to bring the Citizens Community College Accelerator to two local community colleges in Citizens' footprint: Community College of Philadelphia, and Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. The Citizens Community College Accelerator was created in partnership with the Lab's Community College Growth Engine.

"The need for skills-based job training is very tangible right now, and it's critical that we work across the private, public and nonprofit sectors to build a diverse and inclusive workforce for our business community," said Dan Fitzpatrick, President, Mid-Atlantic Region, Citizens. "That's why Citizens invests in community colleges like CCP to ensure access to career opportunities for students while providing local businesses with the talent they need."

The initiative engages these community colleges and local employers with the goal of driving strong employment outcomes for underrepresented students. Each community college partner helps to determine two locally relevant and inclusive micro-pathways. For these two micro-pathways, CCP collaborated with several employers to solicit input around the skills needed for a particular job role as well as feedback on the programs' prototypes. For example, one employer that CCP's design team continues to engage closely with is Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada. Merck's subject matter experts reviewed both micro-pathway opportunities, which led to the incorporation of a mechanical aptitude assessment for CCP's Electro-Mechanical Technology program, and the inclusion of a cloud certification requirement for its Computer Support Specialist Technician program. This type of close partnership between college and employer is critical to developing learning programs that not only provide a certification, but the skills that are actually needed in the workplace.

"Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not," said Dr. Lisa Larson, Head of the Community College Growth Engine. "The Lab's partnership with BHCC and CCP along with Citizens to design and launch micro-pathways for those who have not had the opportunity to gain skills and improve economic mobility is a step toward better outcomes and transformation for our colleges, employers, and communities. There has never been a more pressing moment for community colleges and industry partners to collaborate on workforce development initiatives like this one. So far, we've seen firsthand how our micro-pathways model and design process can serve as a gateway to community college transformation."

The Electro-Mechanical Technology program is a comprehensive program that combines classroom and hands-on training, providing students with the essential skills to pursue a lucrative career as an Electro-Mechanical Technician. Upon completion, students gain entry-level knowledge of mechanical technology and electrical and electronic circuits, enabling them to operate, test, and maintain electro-mechanical equipment. Learn more about the program.

The Computer Support Specialist Technician program provides students with the opportunity to kickstart their career in information technology. This stackable credential provides entry-level career opportunities as a computer support specialist and sets the foundation for career advancement and career education at the associate degree level and beyond. Learn more about the program.

Anyone interested in registering for either program should complete this form to begin the process online.

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About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation's oldest and largest financial institutions, with $222.3 billion in assets as of March 31, 2023. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,400 ATMs and approximately 1,100 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.

About Education Design Lab

The Lab is a national nonprofit that co-designs, prototypes, and tests education-to-workforce models through a human-centered design process focused on understanding learners' experiences, addressing equity gaps in higher education, and connecting new majority learners to economic mobility. The Community College Growth Engine, led by Dr. Lisa Larson, is a design accelerator set up just before the pandemic to help community colleges lean into a future role as regional talent agents. Learn more at www.eddesignlab.org or join our Innovator Network on LinkedIn , Twitter or with our email newsletter.

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