The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges recently approved grants to expand aerospace and healthcare programs at Whatcom Community College.

The board awarded WCC $320,000 to fund 40 more full-time students, expanding capacity for the engineering transfer program. Currently, 86 percent of WCC transferring students attend Western Washington University, and Western fully endorses the proposal.

WCC will also lead a new hospital employee education and training grant project along with Highline College. WCC’s grants total $477,311, including existing projects with Bellingham Technical College and Spokane Falls Community College.

In its partnership with Highline College, the new project will address workforce shortages, remedy skills gaps and increase diversity in language and culture in the behavioral health workforce and acute care environments.

In partnership with BTC, WCC will expand nursing pathways for existing workers and partner with Lake Washington Institute of Technology to meet industry demand for registered nurses and nursing assistant certified employees with enhanced skills.

Spokane Falls CC and WCC will continue the fast track, 15-credit Chemical Dependency Professional certificate online program by offering two new cohorts of students over three quarters, from Fall 2018 to Spring 2019.

For more information about Whatcom Community College, visit whatcom.edu.