MCC Partners with UCM to Serve Cass County

MCC and the University of Central Missouri have formed a unique partnership that will increase higher education and workforce training opportunities in Cass County. The collaboration, dubbed the Cass County Partnership for Advanced Training and Education, was formed in conjunction with the Cass County Commission, which has been working for years to bring higher education to county residents.

The initiative will address the county’s education and training needs by offering streamlined services and providing comprehensive information about all of the opportunities available through both MCC and UCM. Existing recruitment, advising and marketing efforts will become centrally coordinated to achieve a cohesive message.

Three primary groups will be served by the partnership:
· High school students looking for higher education or career training options after graduation
· Adults looking to start or complete a degree, certificate or career training program
· Businesses looking to increase their productivity and effectiveness through employee training

Preliminary needs assessment survey results indicate interest among each of these groups.

“The bottom line is, MCC and UCM want to provide easier access to education and training for Cass County residents,” said Juan Rangel, director of MCC Business & Learning Solutions and coordinator of the initiative. “There are 30,000 people in the county who have taken some college coursework but have not earned a degree or certificate. We’re now going to make it easier for those residents to look at all of the options – from an associate’s degree to a certification to a master’s degree – and decide what’s best for them.”

The partnership will operate out of a shared office in the Heritage office building in Belton. Belton is the only city in Cass County that currently falls within MCC’s district.

Two informational sessions for county residents are planned for early August. A formal announcement of the partnership is planned for mid- to late September.