The Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative (D3C3) has announced more than $30 million in funding from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Ballmer Group. 

The initiative is a collaboration of seven southeast Michigan community colleges to ensure students have equitable educational opportunities and graduate with high-value credentials or degrees that lead to good-paying, in-demand jobs. According to the Wilson Foundation, D3C3 will build on earlier efforts such as Detroit Drives Degrees, which has been a cornerstone of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s education and talent strategy for years; the seven community colleges’ ongoing work to increase student access and success; and the effort the State of Michigan has been making, with initiatives like Michigan Reconnect.  

To boost the region’s overall prosperity, the program aims to increase enrollment and completion rates at community colleges, align and deepen pathways between the K-12 system and community colleges, and build stronger partnerships with employers. 

“D3C3 is about transforming our talent pipeline through innovative partnerships with local community colleges that are uniquely positioned to help students enter the workforce with the qualifications employers need,” said Detroit Regional Chamber president and CEO Sandy K. Baruah. “Ballmer Group and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation’s generous support speaks to the value of this initiative and importance of collaborative and job-focused education that will benefit employers, families, and the region.” 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/visual space)