BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Enrollment at Alabama’s community colleges has climbed nearly 8% this fall, the fifth straight year of growth for the system.
System leaders shared the news Wednesday during a Board of Trustees meeting in Montgomery, where members also approved millions in new workforce training programs, facility upgrades and a partnership to expand shipbuilding and submarine manufacturing training.
The board’s actions reflect a continued push to align community colleges with the state’s workforce needs while supporting students from classrooms to career pathways.
As of Sept. 9, 21 of the state’s 24 colleges reported higher headcounts than a year ago. Total enrollment reached 95,185 students – a 7.9% increase over last fall.
“These are big numbers,” ACCS Vice Chancellor Neil Scott told board members. “This growth is something that is to be credited to our colleges, our faculty and our staff. There’s just been a lot of work that has been done to make this happen.”
Last year, about 40% of the system’s students were dual-enrollment students, though that figure wasn’t shared during the meeting.
Beyond enrollment, the board took up initiatives aimed at strengthening Alabama’s workforce, expanding partnerships with industry and upgrading facilities across the state.
$30 million Maritime Industrial Base partnership
Trustees authorized Chancellor Jimmy Baker to finalize the contracting process with the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program. The deal calls for $30 million in facility renovations and equipment purchases to expand submarine manufacturing and shipbuilding training programs.
Four colleges – Bishop State, Reid State, Coastal Alabama and Lurleen B. Wallace – were selected by the MIB to participate in the initiative.
Industry Certification Initiative funding
The board approved nearly $9 million for workforce development programs through the Industry Certification Initiative. That funding includes:
- $150,000 for scholarships of up to $2,000 each for high school and college students winning first place at the 2025 SkillsUSA Alabama competitions.
- $7.6 million for new programs and equipment tied to the state’s top workforce needs. The list of allocations is at the end of this article.
- $1 million in grants of up to $15,000 to help existing businesses train workers.
- $250,000 in grants to colleges to meet urgent workforce needs in their communities.
$17.3 million in construction projects
Board members also approved more than $17 million in new construction and renovation projects, including:
- $1 million for renovations at Coastal Alabama’s Bay Minette campus, expected to wrap up in late 2026.
- $2.7 million for Bevill State to purchase property in Walker County for workforce expansion.
- $11.5 million to renovate Building A at Lawson State, also set for completion in late 2026.
- $2.1 million to renovate Enterprise State’s Geneva Campus Armory for technical education programs, targeted for April 2026.
- A transfer of Jefferson State’s Clanton campus property to the Chilton County school system, which plans to build a new career technical center there.
Although listed on the agenda, trustees did not act on a proposed $7.9 million renovation and addition at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College’s Andalusia campus gymnasium.
Baker on prison education
Baker told trustees he is serving on a new multi-agency task force examining ways to improve education for incarcerated Alabamians.
“The mission is to do something that can bring about a positive impact on those people who, for whatever reason, may be incarcerated,” he said. “Once they serve their time, they can go out and be comfortable that there is a life outside that could be productive for them.”
The group’s work is just beginning and is expected to last several months, Baker said.
Industry Certification Initiative Funds 09102025 by Trisha Powell Crain
This article was updated 9/13/2025 to correctly identify the Maritime Industrial Base partnership.