All interviewed students confirmed that they would recommend NEPA RISE to friends or family members. Interviewees offered the following comments:
- “Yes, I feel like having the program given to us has been an amazing opportunity.”
- “Yes I already have recommended the program and I did find out about RISE through a friend.”
- “I have previously recommended the program to other people, but no one has followed through yet, some people are not willing to put in the hard work.”
- “Yes it is a very helpful thing. One of the big things preventing me from going back to school was financial. If it weren’t for RISE, I would not be going back to school.”
- “Absolutely. Resources at hand, functions like any other college. They are looking to have you pass. Other colleges take your money and aren’t worried if you fail.”
- “Yes, I would suggest it to anyone of all ages. I think those that don’t speak to family or feel lost, this is definitely the program to help make connections. It sets you to have a good life and not struggle and helps decide where you want to be in the next five years, as long as you dedicate yourself and have future goals.”
% Some of Strong Agreement
| Statement | Cohort 1 | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 | Cohort 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I feel prepared to succeed at a full-time job in my career field. | 29% | 90% | 100% | 100% |
| Whenever I needed help, I was able to get support from the program. | 43% | 80% | 100% | 100% |
| During my time in the program, I knew where I could go for help if I needed it. | 57% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Meetings with my coach helped me be successful in the program. | 43% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| I would recommend the RISE NEPA program to a friend or family member. | 57% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Progress Two Months After Graduation
| Cohort 1 | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 | Cohort 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completions | 9 (75% completion rate) | 13 (76% completion rate) | 13 (54% completion rate) | 10 (43% completion rate) |
| Certifications | 3 (33% of graduates) | 3 (23% of graduates) | 7 (54% of graduates) | 6 (60% of graduates) |
| Employed | 2 (22% of graduates) | 9 (69% of graduates) | 6 (50% of graduates) | 7 (70% of graduates) |
C3 Student Success Story: Career Progression as of September 2024
| Pre-RISE Salary | During RISE Salary | Post RISE Salary | 1st Promotion to F/T & Union Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $9/hour – $18,720/year | $13.50/hour p/t | $21/hour – $43,689/year |
Economic impact estimates suggest a viable return on investment. The local spending of a worker earning $18 per hour on a full-time basis generates $13,063 in induced impact in a number of sectors and $23,553 in value added annually. Additionally, they pay $5,561 in local, state, and federal taxes. Their spending supports food services, retail, banking, health care, utilities, and the real estate sector.