Clatsop Community College has received a $50,000 grant to streamline and advance the ease of turning experience into academic credit. CCC will use this grant to hire part time staff to examine programs and credits at the college and identify and evaluate what prior learning and skills can be documented and transcripted into college credit. The staff acquired with this grant money will also work to identify and reach out to students who may benefit from these efforts.
CCC already offers some prior learning credentialing, but this grant’s focus is to expand the offerings and streamline the process so students coming in with years of work experience and training receive credit for their knowledge and are able to advance in completing a degree or certificate at CCC in a timely manner. This grant will allow the college to dive deeper into assessments and reviews of noncredit training to evaluate knowledge and skills that a student has developed outside of the college classroom— including work experience, military training, internships, volunteer work, and self-study. If the student’s knowledge is comparable to college- level learning, then the student can be awarded college credit.
The grant opportunity came about during the 2022 Oregon legislative session in which Senate Bill 1545 was approved to allocate one-time funding for the purpose of “Increasing opportunities for students from priority populations to receive academic credit for prior experience or skills gained outside of traditional higher education institutions, with such academic credit counting toward a certificate or credential that provides a pathway to employment or career advancement.”
Students and those interested in having their prior work experience evaluated may reach out to the Registrar’s Office at Clatsop Community College to discuss options available.
