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Philadelphia marked a significant occasion with the first graduating class of City College for Municipal Employment (CCME), which started in October 2024 to offer local residents and employees a chance to upskill. The ceremony, held at the Community College of Philadelphia, recognized 24 graduates from tracks in Business Administration, Technology, and Skilled Trades, with programs also extending to Healthcare, Public Safety, and STEM, according to a statement from the City of Philadelphia. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker pointed to the event as a symbol of the city’s brighter future, stating, “These graduates represent the future of our great city, and this program is a testament to my commitment to creating economic opportunity and mobility for Philadelphia families.”
The CCME initiative, which has seen over 70 enrollees to date, aims to coach participants in gaining marketable skills while also helping them navigate through the often uncharter waters of a new career landscape. “Completing this program has been a milestone achievement,” Aleena Chandy, a CCME graduate, told the Community College of Philadelphia. “I’m grateful for the career skills, stipends, and paid internships that prepared me for success. I’m looking forward to supporting my family and contributing to our community,” as reported by the city’s official website. These words encapsulate the essence of CCME’s mission: to eliminate financial barriers for its students by providing free access to courses and the chance to earn financial incentives.
CCME’s comprehensive support system includes career readiness training in communications, problem solving, and collaboration, and is designed not just for new students but also to offer city employees the opportunity to climb further up their career ladder. Carol de Fries, the Executive Director of CCME, highlighted the graduates’ resilience and dedication: “We are so proud of the graduates from this inaugural cohort. CCME is the first of its kind, and the graduates here today successfully completed their training tracks while remaining flexible as we navigated the ups and downs of developing a new program together,” she said in a statement released by the City of Philadelphia.
The collaborative efforts between the Community College of Philadelphia, the City, Philadelphia Works, and the School District of Philadelphia have been pivotal in the execution of this program. Dr. Alycia Marshall, interim president of the Community College of Philadelphia, hailed the collective endeavor, “Today’s graduation is a proud milestone. It reflects the power of perseverance, the promise of opportunity, and the spirit of progress that defines us as One Philly. This program exemplifies what we can achieve when we come together,” as stated in a news release from the City of Philadelphia.
