Community colleges must continually monitor the dynamic environments in which they exist. Demographic, economic, social, political, and technological influences constantly impact communities’ needs and alter demand for programs and services. The successful institution stays abreast and modifies its offerings accordingly. This report examines the environmental factors most likely to affect the College and describes trends and projections for Palm Beach County, the student markets, and the College. The analysis also includes local industry and occupation projections. Future challenges and opportunities facing the College are identified and suggested strategies noted. The Community College Strategic Planner is a proprietary web-based software application designed to assist institutions of higher education in their planning process. Developed by CCbenefits, Inc. of Moscow, ID, the software is based on data compiled from 25 major sources, such as U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Commerce, and state and county level resources. Data supplied by the Community College Strategic Planner are updated every six months. Available information consists of standard demographic projections (total population, age, gender, race and ethnicity), job projections by industry and job projections by occupation. Projection data are provided for a 10-year period and are available at national, state, county, and local regional levels. Local regional levels are custom-developed and based on zip codes. This report provides a sample of demographic projections compiled from the Community College Strategic Planner for the period 2005-2015. Information regarding population growth, gender, ethnicity, and age is provided for the county and the individual campuses.
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