Some community colleges moved quickly and started offering programs and discounts for people effected by the economic downturn.

Warren Community College is offering free job training in retail sales and customer service: http://www.nj.com/warrenreporter/index.ssf/2009/05/warren_county_community_colleg_27.html

Northampton CC in New Jersey is offering free tuition to the unemployed: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2008/12/ncc_to_aid_the_unemployed.html

So is Normandale CC in Minnesota, Mott CC in Flint, MI, Klamath CC in Oregon and all of the Kentucky CC’s and all of the Maine CC’s have programs for the unemployed too. Some colleges offer free tuition for the recently unemployed such as Luzerne CC in PA under their New Choices-New Options Program. In my home state, Oakton CC is offering free retraining for displaced workers, as is South Suburban CC in South Holland.

What is my college doing for displaced workers? We raised (nearly doubled) tuition for Nursing and Dental Hygiene students because these students will make a decent salary when they graduate. (If they can afford to finish and if they can find work afterward). We also raise tuition for all other students nearly every year! Oh, but we are generous with our President who has only been with us for 4 traumatic months. I’m just SO proud.