Auto Industry Woes Come to College

As the auto industry bailout flounders in the senate, and speculation continues about the long-term effects if the manufacturers fail, the impact is already being felt at Portland Community College.
(Left to right, Scott Morgan with students Brandon Cargill, Robbie Olea and Mark Conner. They work to replace a light on a GM truck. Photo courtesy PCC.)
The institution has partnered with General Motors on the GM Automotive Service Education program since 1985, which trains students to repair GM vehicles. Half the program credits come from the student working at a dealership—situations some students are having trouble securing.
“The need for qualified and competent service technicians is still very real, but dealerships are getting leaner and meaner,” says program instructor Scott Morgan. “The last few months have been very different from what we have experienced in the past. As with the economy as a whole, it is very difficult to find work in the current economic times.”
In true community college fashion, administrators are already developing courses in alternative energy and hybrid cars to meet future demand in those areas. Administrators also report the collision repair program is in good health, since it doesn't rely on a specific car maker.
Community colleges usually see a surge in enrollment during economic downturns, and that has held true at PCC. Spokesman James Hill says enrollment in general has grown for the fifth straight term, with full-time enrollment growing 9.5 percent during the fall term. The state uses FTE to determine funding. Hill says most of the growth has been in core credit courses, which students can eventually transfer to a four-year institution.
So far, most of the discussion of the affect of the economic downturn on higher ed has focused on reduced endowement returns, state budget cuts, and the availability of students loans in relation to rising tution. It might be time to start taking a closer look what will happen to students once they graduate.