Community colleges around the nation are turning to the Plus 50 Initiative at the American Association of Community Colleges for help in designing programs for baby boomers, who are increasingly returning to campus for job training and to makeover careers waylaid by the economic recession.

One of the colleges involved in the initiative's expansion efforts is Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood. The college will serve as a Learning Partner for the other community colleges in Pierce County.

Clover Park will work with Bates Technical College, Tacoma Community College and Pierce College District 11, which includes Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom and Pierce College-Puyallup.

The Plus 50 Initiative began its efforts to help community colleges faced with an expanding baby boomer student population by focusing on learning, training and career development, and volunteering. The three-year project is sponsored by the AACC with a $3.2 million grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies.

Click here to learn more about the Plus 50 Initiative.