Community College of Philadelphia’s brand new Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) has officially opened at 48th and Market. A ribbon cutting ceremony with the participation of city, state and College officials took place this morning.

The new state-of-the-art teaching and learning facility will offer short-term certificate programs in the Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care, and Transportation Technology fields. It will also host associate degree programs that will help students meet the ever-changing needs of these industries. One program in particular is the Toyota Technician Training & Education Network (T-TEN) program which will provide state‑of‑the‑art, hands‑on automotive diagnosis and repair training. Continue Reading

A rendering image of CCP’s Career and Advanced Technology Center being built at 48th and Market.

The Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) today celebrated the halfway point in construction for its highly anticipated state-of-the-art teaching and learning facility in West Philadelphia. The college held a midpoint ceremony for its Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) located at the southeast corner of 48th and Market.

Stakeholders and community partners received updates at today’s event on the programming and learning opportunities the CATC will provide. They also signed a stud with a permanent marker to be placed within the inner walls of the building and participated in a guided tour of the facility. Continue Reading

Kingsessing Library (Photo from freelibrary.org).

State Rep. Jim Roebuck recently announced that $480,000 is on its way to the Kingsessing Library to repair and upgrade the building, which is located at 1201 S. 51st St.

The Kingsessing Library opened in 1919 and was last renovated in 1999.

The funding is part of more than $3 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funds that will be used to fund projects in the 188th legislative district.

Project funds also include $2 million to the Community College of Philadelphia’s West Philadelphia Regional Campus to develop a Career and Advanced Technology Center.

West Philly small business owners, from corner grocery stores to hair salons, child care centers to cafés, are invited to a series of free workshops at Community College of Philadelphia. “Power Up Your Business” is a new initiative offering in-demand business development tools to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in the College’s effort to reinvigorate City neighborhoods.

Here are the upcoming three workshops to be held on Tuesdays at Community College of Philadelphia’s West Regional Center at 4725 Chestnut St. from 6 to 9 p.m.:

May 23: Capital and Credit for Growth
Learn the importance of personal and business credit to your business’ success.  Continue Reading

Here’s some good news out of the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). The college recently received a $3 million grant to help African American males succeed in college.

The college, which has a student population of more than 34,000, will use the grant to help fund its Center for Male Engagement, which provides access to academic coaches, computers and other education resources. The grant was provided by the Department of Education’s Predominately Black Institutions Program.

“This is a place where men gain the confidence to be successful in life and in their studies,” CCP President Donald Guy Generals said in a statement.

Minority students make up about 76 percent of CCP’s student body.

CCP’s West Regional Center, where the college’s Automotive Technology programs are based, is located at 4725 Chestnut Street.