William Austin, President, Warren County Community College

In an interview with Invest:, Warren County Community College President William Austin said the school provides an exceptional return on investment to students through the school’s meticulously tailored advanced technology programs. He also discussed how the institution is setting up its students and local community for future success.

What were some key achievements accomplished by Warren County Community College in the past 12 months?

In the past 12 months we have concentrated on advancing our technological degrees. We had an existing degree in unmanned systems (drone technology), which has gained attention and accolades from the national media. When we spearheaded this program, it was an applied associates degree designed to place students directly into the workforce. Students of ours have transitioned into the workforce to start off earning in excess of $100,000 a year, so we are happy with the results.

We’ve since expanded these programs with partners like Embry-Riddell Aeronautical University, so that any students who do not want to directly enter the workforce can transfer seamlessly. We anticipate adding two new degrees in robotics and AI, and Counter-UAS. Our approach is unique in that we are focusing on the robots themselves and deep learning rather than AI in the form of chatbots like ChatGPT. Our school focuses on workforce-based degrees, and we’ve responded to our Gen Z students’ interests in degrees that lead directly to jobs.

How do you continue to add value to higher education?

It’s worth the money to make the $10,000 to $12,000 investment in yourself to earn a degree. In New Jersey, we have the Community College Opportunity Grant, which offers further support for students. The vast majority of residents can access this education free of charge. Even if students are paying the sticker price, the return on investment for our programs is significant. High-end, elite schools cost much more, necessitating steep loans, and those students compete for the same jobs as our students but instead have a horrible return on their investment. One of my goals as president is to build better programs that serve the people and not the college. 

What initiatives are being undertaken by the WCCC to retain talent in New Jersey?

The purpose of a community college involves not only the traditional aspects of obtaining a degree but also to be an economic development driver in the community. Warren has agriculture and restrictions on land development, so it makes sense that our school offers corresponding programs. We should be looking at our own communities to determine how we should develop. For example, our AI programs are not offered for the sake of AI but are instead focused on the relationship to agriculture and drones. Our school is not trying to lean into trends; instead, we want to offer efficient, applicable programs.

How has New Jersey’s dynamic demographic impacted your enrollment numbers?

We put forth comprehensive marketing and try to be completely honest when demonstrating returns on investment. The school attempts to start discussions about what types of careers are possible in New Jersey. One chief problem we face is that our state sends more students to out-of-state colleges than it takes in, and we lead the country in this metric. Our biggest challenge is convincing people that higher education in New Jersey is worth their investment. This places the onus on our school to go out into the community, so the residents understand our vision and opportunities; subsequently, they will keep us in mind when they make higher education decisions. Liberal arts transfer degrees will remain number one across the board. The priority for many students is to complete the “gen-ed” courses like basic math, English and history so that when students transfer to a larger school, they are only paying for classes tailored to their specific major. We are an affordable alternative to starting at a four-year institution.

How have ongoing changes in the market impacted WCCC?

One aspect of community colleges is that, until we got into high-tech programs, many degrees offered put people into entry-level jobs in various low-pay industries. The people in those industries are struggling because many times those working at non-skilled positions are earning the same amount, or even more, than those in occupations such as social services. This can be observed when comparing social workers and restaurant workers, for example. These students have been questioning why they would invest in a multi-year program to earn as much as someone without a degree. Increased competition for these jobs, as well as inflation, has made it difficult for people to choose college. Our school must also be cognizant of advancements in technology that may make some jobs obsolete in the future. There are still many questions about the future of AI in the workforce, but at WCCC take this into consideration when we determine what degrees we offer.

What opportunities for growth do you see for the college over the next two to three years?

In New Jersey, there are more colleges than are needed, so I expect to see partnerships and consolidations. Though consolidation seems inevitable, the major question policymakers should be asking is whether consolidation will put higher education out of reach for some people. The industry still seems to be facility-driven, so if we can find a way to diminish those costs, then it will be a win that we can pass on to the students. We will continue working in high tech by strengthening our existing degrees. The school will go through a re-accreditation process to ensure students are learning what we promise them and focusing on our institution’s mission. We will continue to serve our community the best we can and will actively foster our partnerships and collaborations in the future.