Frederick Community College Facilities Master Plan Chapter 3 Academic Program Review 3-12 May, 2023 them highly productive and competitive in the workforce. As a result, a significant number of former college students are employed in Frederick County. The accumulated impact of former students currently employed in the Frederick County workforce amounted to $123 million in added income for the Frederick County economy which is equivalent to supporting 1,621 jobs. Ibid A few characteristics of the college are worthy of mention. During FY 2018-19, the college served 882 associate degree graduates and 230 certificate graduates. Another 6124 students enrolled in courses for credit, but did not complete a degree during that period of time. Significantly, the college offered dual credit courses to county high schools, serving a total of 1,400 students over the course of the year. The college also served 1,151basic education students and 2,016 personal enrichment students enrolled in non-credit courses. Nondegree seeking students enrolled in workforce or professional development programs accounted for 3,286 students. Ibid p. 15 As a result of the learning taking place at the college, FCC students have the potential to earn more as they achieve higher levels of education compared to students limited to a high school diploma. As a matter of fact, students who earn an associate degree from the college can expect approximate wages of $43,600 per year within Frederick County, approximately $8,400 more than an individual with a high school diploma. Ibid p.16 In terms of students residing in neighboring counties, approximately, 7% of the students attending FCC originated from outside Frederick County. Some of these students relocated to Fredrick County to attend the college. In addition, some students are residents of Fredrick County who would have left the county if not for the existence of FCC. The money that these students, referred to as retained students, spent toward living expenses in Frederick County is attributable to FCC. It is also noteworthy, that the expenditures of relocated and retained students in the county added approximately $12.2 million in income from the Fredrick County economy, which is equivalent to supporting 232 jobs. In conclusion, the college affects the county in a variety of significant and substantive ways. The college assists students in achieving their individual goals and objectives which allows them to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to have fulfilling and prosperous careers. As a result, the college’s program offerings provide employers with workers which make their businesses more productive. ibid p. 10 THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND’S FUTURE The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future was developed by the Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education. It prescribes a revamp of Maryland’s educational system from pre-K through college. Virtually nothing will be untouched including the work of community colleges, including Frederick Community College (FCC). The goal is designed to ensure that most Maryland high school students are college and career ready by the end of their sophomore year in high school and that almost all students meet that standard before they graduate high school. The impact of the Blueprint on FCC is as follows: FCC will need to collaborate with local boards of education to develop students who have not
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