Imagine America Foundation’s Fact Book 2014 Presents A Data-Supported Look At The Impressive Accomplishments Of Career Colleges

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) March 03, 2014- Frequently cast in a negative light – or overlooked entirely – the career college sector of higher education rarely receives acknowledgement for the tremendous impact it has on the American workforce. One reason is that career colleges, sometimes called “for-profit” schools, are almost never the focus of a statistical and impartial evaluation that presents its real accomplishments. But there is one exception.

The Imagine America Foundation has announced the release of the 2014 Fact Book to offer a data-supported look at the impressive accomplishments of the career college sector of higher education.

For close to two decades, the Imagine America Foundation has funded the research of numerous studies to show how career training-oriented colleges make valuable contributions to the American workforce and, in essence, help change people’s lives by empowering them with education – and finding them careers, not jobs. Prepared by leading industry analysts, the Fact Book contains research and analysis of important trends in the career college sector of higher education. The Fact Book presents a comprehensive look at the career college sector of higher education, as well as a comparison of public and private two-year and four-year institutions.

“The Fact Book presents a central clearinghouse of information that many professionals in our sector use every day in their schools, with employers and with other decision makers,” said Robert L. Martin, President/CEO of the Imagine America Foundation. “If you want to know the sector’s true impact on the community, on student outcomes and graduation, and on the future of our workforce, this publication is your essential guide. ”

The Fact Book sheds light on exactly who career college students are and explains the unique opportunities career colleges create for these students to obtain an education and fill the needs dictated by the evolving global economy. Among the most interesting facts in this year's book are the following data points:

• Career college students graduate with the skills and credentials needed to enter some of the most in-demand careers in the nation – many from programs not offered at traditional colleges or universities. For example, 97,450 – or 77% of – medical assistants graduated from career colleges in 2012.
• Career colleges serve more high-risk profile students than public or private not-for-profit institutions: 49% of career college students have 3-4 risk factors versus 18% at public institutions and 17% at private not-for-profit institutions.
• Career colleges contribute to their communities by paying taxes; $3 billion total taxes paid by career college graduates annually.
• In 2011-12, 43% of students who received awards from career colleges were minority students, up three percentage points from a year ago, and compared with only 25% at public institutions and 19% a private not-for-profit institutions
• Career colleges give their students options to accelerate their time to completion. It takes 26 months for a career college student to complete an Associate degree and 33 months at public institutions.

The Fact Book 2014 is made possible by contributions from supporters of the Imagine America Foundation’s 21st Century Workforce Fund.

Throughout the Fact Book, you’ll find even more achievements that are quite different from what you might have heard or read about this sector of higher education. For more information about the Fact Book, contact Robert L. Martin, President & CEO of the Imagine America Foundation at 571.267.3012 or bobm@imagine-america.org.

About the Imagine America Foundation
The Imagine America Foundation (IAF), established in 1982, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships for education, research and training support for the career college sector. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over $100 million in scholarship and award support for graduating high school seniors, adult learners and U.S. military personnel attending career colleges nationwide through its award-winning Imagine America programs. The Foundation also publishes vital research publications for the higher education sector, honors achievement in career education and offers comprehensive financial literacy education to thousands of enrolling career college students through its Financial Planning Made Simple tool. For more information about the Imagine America Foundation's programs, please visit https://www.imagine-america.org.