Calbright College awards 100th workforce certificate

Calbright College, California’s online-only community college, announced Friday that it had awarded its 100th certificate since opening to students two and a half years ago.

The 100th certificate was the 20th such credential awarded in the college’s newest program in Customer Relationship Management, which launched in August. As of April 20, eight certificates have been awarded in Medical coding, 24 in Cybersecurity and 48 in Information Technology Support.

Calbright opened to students in October 2019 as a free, self-paced alternative to traditional colleges intended to serve adults between the ages of 25 and 34 who lack college degrees or need additional skills to qualify for higher-paying jobs. The college uses a competency-based education model that assesses students based on their skills and not the amount of time they spend in a class.

However, critics of the college say that too few students have completed Calbright’s programs and that state funding to the college should instead go to the traditional community colleges. As of the end of April, the college reported its enrollment had surpassed more than 1,010 people. The majority of students, more than 65% were reported to be enrolled in information technology courses.

Calbright claims that if students dedicate five to 10 hours a week to their courses they can complete a Calbright program in less than 12 months.