WESTERN IOWA TECH IN SIOUX CITY IS BUCKING THE TREND OF A GENERAL DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT IN SOME COMMUNITY COLLEGES AROUND THE STATE.
WESTERN IOWA TECH’S ENROLLMENT IS UP ONE-POINT-SEVEN PERCENT THIS ACADEMIC YEAR.
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR JEREMY VARNER SAYS THE PANDEMIC AND THE TIGHT LABOR MARKET ARE TWO OF THE MAIN CAUSES FOR A DROP IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENROLLMENT:
COMMCOL1 OC…..5.6% :14
VARNER SAYS IT WASN’T AN ACROSS THE BOARD DROP, AS SHOWN BY INCREASES IN SOME SCHOOLS SUCH AS WESTERN IOWA TECH:
COMMCOL2 OC……..A BIT. :17
THE DES MOINES AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SAW THE LARGEST DECREASE IN STUDENTS AT AROUND 11 PERCENT, FOLLOWED BY NORTH IOWA AREA AT A SEVEN-POINT-FOUR PERCENT DROP.
IOWA LAKES HELD STEADY, WHILE IOWA CENTRAL IN FORT DODGE HAD THE LARGEST INCREASE AT NINE-POINT-EIGHT PERCENT.
