The Christian Science Monitor (09/05/04) recently stated, “There will be 30.7 million job openings for people with at least a two-year college degree in the next ten years, this according to the nonprofit Employment Policy Foundation. But only 23.3 million people are expected to earn those degrees. Mercer County in Western Pennsylvania is not immune from this trend and neither is the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Of the 67 counties in the commonwealth, 53 do not have a community college and none exist in Western Pennsylvania north of Interstate 80.

Butler County Community College (BC3) will provide Mercer County residents with an associate degree in computer science with seamless articulation from participating high schools and post-secondary institutions. BC3 has been training and educating in technical fields for the past 35 years. We have been collaborating with increasing intensity with the secondary schools located in Mercer County and offer a variety of programs in both credit and noncredit to residents, employers and organizations.

BC3 has always responded to the workforce needs of the community by adapting or creating technical programs that provide employers with highly trained graduates and better skilled incumbent workers. By adapting these training programs to meet the needs created by new technologies and economic forces, community colleges serve the current workforce with the training they need right now.

Take advantage of this new and exciting program! BC3 is excited to offer the 2+2+2 program to Mercer County’s secondary students and returning adults looking to work in the field of computer science.