Butte College
News Announcement

Butte College Earns Statewide Recognition for 26 Top Career Programs

Butte College has been honored statewide by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office for multiple programs being named as "Strong Workforce Stars" due to outstanding post-college outcomes in employment, earnings gains, and regional living wages, based on Strong Workforce Program Launchboard data. 

Colleges earned Bronze, Silver, and Gold star recognition if graduates attained one or more of the following thresholds for economic mobility: an increase in earnings by 50 percent or more; attainment of the regional living wage by 70 percent or more; and 90 percent or more are employed in a job similar to their field of study. 

Gold Stars were awarded to Registered Nursing and Respiratory Care Therapy. Registered Nursing had a 204 percent increase in earnings, 94 percent of student attained the regional living wage and 100 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study. Respiratory Care Therapy had a 157 percent increase in earnings, 78 percent of students attained the regional living wage and 100 percent of students are employed in their field of study. 

Silver Stars were awarded to the following programs: Plant Protection, Business Management, Welding, Licensed Vocational Nursing, Child Development, Law Enforcement, Fire Technology, and Firefighter 1 Academy. Plant Protection had a 112 percent increase in and 93 percent of students attained the regional living wage. Business Management had a 50 percent increase in and 71 percent of student attained the regional living wage. Welding had a 175 percent increase in earnings and 93 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study. Licensed Vocational Nursing had a 124 percent increase in and 86 percent of students attained the regional living wage. Child Development had a 55 percent increase in earnings and 100 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study. Law Enforcement had a 109 percent increase in and 92 percent of students attained the regional living wage. Fire Technology 
 had a 159 percent increase in earnings and 100 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study. Firefighter 1 Academy had a 327 percent increase in and 79 percent of students attained the regional living wage. 

Programs earning Bronze Stars included: Heavy Equipment Operation (90 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study), Automotive Technology (160 percent increase in earnings), 
 Agriculture Technology and Sciences, General (93 percent increase in earnings), Agricultural Power Equipment Technology (234 percent increase in earnings), Accounting (63 percent increase in earnings), Business Administration (55 percent increase in earnings), Cosmetology (92 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study), Drafting Technology (72 percent of students attained the regional living wage), Medical Office Terminology (87 percent increase in earnings), Paramedic (117 percent 
 increase in earnings), Nutrition, Foods and Culinary Arts (51 percent increase in earnings), Office Technology-Office Computer Applications (92 percent increase in earnings), Multimedia (63 percent increase in earnings), Computer Information Systems (100 percent of students are employed in a job similar to their field of study), Applied Photography (282 percent increase in earnings), and Administration of Justice (63 percent increase in earnings).  

"Our mission at Butte College is to train our students so they can be employed in the workforce and productive members of our communities as quickly as possible," said Denise Adams, Butte College Dean, Career and Technical Education. "It's an honor to have many of our Butte College programs recognized for achieving economic vitality in our communities." 

Launched in 2017, the Strong Workforce Stars program is an annual recognition of successful career education programs, also known as career technical education, whose students show significant gains in factors important for advancing social mobility -- a substantial increase in earnings, attainment of a living wage, and a job closely matched with the field of study.