San Mateo County Community College District Joins Partnership to Prepare Diverse Workforce with Skills to Succeed in Digital Economy
SAN MATEO, CA – Community, Continuing, and Corporate Education (CCCE), the not-for-credit arm of the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD), will soon complete the first semester of an innovative partnership with GreenFig, a San Mateo-based micro education company. CCCE is offering GreenFig's courses to students, including a diverse set of learners who are the first in their families to attend college, as well as professionals interested in digital skill development and hands-on training in applied business science, positioning them to fill specialized jobs sought after by Bay Area companies.
"We believe the best student outcomes result from close alignment with industry in curriculum design, instruction, and access to hiring companies," says SMCCCD's Vice Chancellor of Enterprise Operations Tom Bauer, noting that nearly half of community college students are among the first in their families to get a post-secondary education. "We're excited that CCCE's partnership with GreenFig has given our learners exactly the skills and experiences they need to thrive in today's digital economy."
Leveraging a live and interactive online format, GreenFig program participants gain industry-recognized certifications by working directly on projects for Bay Area companies. Upon completion of the course, they will have practical, real-world experience and business connections, which will enable them to find new jobs or grow in their current careers. The program concludes with a meet-to-hire event where students have the opportunity to engage with hiring companies.
In addition to teaching the fundamentals of modern B2B and B2C strategies and tactics, the GreenFig program provides students with hands-on training led by industry experts and the opportunity to be certified in today's most popular technology, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook advertising, Salesforce, and the TradeDesk.
This semester, a leading marketing technology company gave scholarships to 20 students to participate in the GreenFig Digital Marketing Science course. Students were awarded scholarships based on their passion to succeed, desire to learn and determined mindset.
Student Experience Sets Stage for Career Advancements
One of the scholarship recipients is Stephanie Wallace, a Cañada College student. Even with no prior marketing experience, she impressed GreenFig with her "can-do" attitude. From her extensive customer service background and experience helping children with special needs, Wallace has a passion for working with people and for a company that is dedicated to its employees and customers. "The GreenFig program will give me practical experience and certifications that allow me to pursue my dream career by being able to use technology to reach an audience and influence people's lives on a daily basis," she says, noting that throughout this course, she established valuable relationships and connections with industry experts, who have been impressed by her positivity and dedication to the program.
"Even though the course is online, the classes are live, and we can get to know our instructors and our classmates," says Cecilia Chung, another scholarship recipient from Cañada College. Although Chung has not yet completed her course, she already feels more confident and has landed multiple interviews. "I haven't seen another course that offers students as many opportunities and real-life collaborative experiences," Chung concludes.
"GreenFig students have terrific skills, balancing the art and science of marketing," said Tracy Eiler, GreenFig instructor and CMO at InsideView. "I've been incredibly impressed with their curiosity, engagement and desire to be at the forefront of digital marketing. They are job-ready modern marketers."
Expanding Engagement with Bay Area Companies
As the first semester of this partnership comes to completion in January 2019, the SMCCCD and GreenFig are currently looking for Bay Area companies to join the program by providing real-world projects for students to work on as part of the curriculum. In addition, local companies can partner with CCCE and GreenFig to offer scholarships or upskill their own workers through programs in digital marketing, sales operations and more.
To learn more about partnering with CCCE and GreenFig, contact CCCE Executive Director Jonathan Bissell at [email protected]. Students can apply here for GreenFig's Spring Digital Marketing Science Certification program.
About CCCE
CCCE is the not-for-credit arm of the San Mateo County Community College District, dedicated to educating and enhancing individuals and organizations in San Mateo, the Bay Area, and the world through innovative educational programs and customized training, signature programs, and global impact initiatives.
About SMCCCD
Located in Silicon Valley between San Francisco and San Jose, the San Mateo County Community College District serves more than 40,000 students each year from throughout San Mateo County through our three Colleges: Cañada College in Redwood City, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College in San Bruno. The Colleges offer the first two years of instruction in a wide variety of quality transfer programs as well as more than 80 vocational-technical degree and certificate programs which prepare students and working professionals for immediate employment and upgrade training in such areas as health careers, computer sciences, telecommunications, administration of justice, technical arts and graphics, automotive and a variety of office careers. The academic and vocational programs offered by the Colleges are designed to meet the educational needs of the community. Anyone who is a high school graduate or 18 years of age or older can select from thousands of courses offered at convenient times on the campuses and at a number of off-campus locations.
About GreenFig
GreenFig Micro Education provides digital skill development and hands-on training in applied business science. GreenFig's delivery model combines live, interactive online and offline team-based learning with hands-on business application software instruction from industry experts. Learners gain industry-recognized certifications and the real-world experience they need to step into careers they'll love. GreenFig is headquartered in San Mateo, CA, and delivers its programs in partnership with higher education institutions across the country. To learn more about GreenFig's applied business science programs, visit GreenFig.com.