The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) Joins Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action; Teams with Cengage Learning’s ed2go and Smart Horizons Career Online Education
Seattle, WA February 12, 2015 – Nearly 10% of King County residents, approximately 150,000 adults, lack a high school diploma, and a new program being made available by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) offers residents the opportunity to earn accredited diplomas and credentialed career certificates.
Career Online High School (COHS), part of the world’s first accredited, private online school district, is specifically designed to reengage young people back into the educational system and prepare them for entry into the workforce. Developed by Smart Horizons Career Online Education (SHCOE) and Cengage Learning’s ed2go, COHS is a key component in the broad range of career development services that the WDC offers to young people of the greater Seattle-King County area. As part of this effort, the WDC will also join Cengage Learning and SHCOE’s Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action to reengage employees in the educational system.
“We are so pleased to offer Seattle and King County young people this opportunity,” says Marléna Sessions, CEO of the WDC. “Having a high school diploma is more important than ever in enabling a young person to get on a career track toward self-sufficiency.”
The WDC is offering COHS in partnership with King County Employment and Education Resources at YouthSource King County (located at WorkSource Renton) and Learning Center North (located at Shoreline Community College) in facilitated learning labs. Different from a GED program, COHS offers a fully accredited SACS/AdvancEd high school diploma and a credentialed workforce certificate in one of eight high-growth, high-demand entry-level career fields — across a wide spectrum from child care and education to certified transportation. Classes are supported by certified instructors, academic coaches, and Learning Center instructors, and students have 24/7 access to the online learning platform. Many students are able to graduate in as few as 4 to 6 months by transferring in previously earned high school credits.
“We are very proud to be teaming with the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County,” stated Dr. Howard Liebman, Superintendent and Cofounder of SHCOE. “Our mission is to prepare students for the workforce and post-secondary education by delivering innovative, supportive, and career-based online education and the WDC is the ideal partner to help us fulfill that mission.”
“As a leading education company, broadening access to education and workforce development opportunities is an important part of our mission, and we’re excited to work with the WDC to make that happen,” said Ron Stefanski, Chief Business Development Officer at ed2go.