The Community College of Philadelphia has announced that Ayanna Washington will serve as the executive director of the College’s new Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC).

The CATC is a new 75,000 square foot state-of-the-art learning facility that will offer for-credit and noncredit courses and programs to support the job pipeline needs in Philadelphia’s transportation, manufacturing, and health care fields.

“Ayanna is an action-oriented and results-driven leader who is able to connect with students, establish strong relationships with employers, and maintain the trust of the community in which we will serve,” said CCP President Dr. Donald Generals in a statement. “She is the perfect fit for this position, and we can’t wait to see how she will transform the lives of our students.” 

Washington originally joined the College in 2014, as the director of Business Development for Corporate Solutions. Her most recent role saw her serve as director of the Career Connections Department within the Division of Workforce and Economic Innovation, where she strategically transformed the department, its services to students, and its outreach and engagement efforts with employers. 

In her new executive director role at the CATC, Washington will be responsible for all operations at the center, which includes programming and services to ensure student, community, and employee needs are met. In addition, she will serve as a liaison to industry partners and external stakeholders, monitor program and project outcomes, and supervise ongoing operations of the CATC. 

“I am excited to serve as the executive director of the CATC, and look forward to promoting the benefits and impacts of the CTE certificates and degree programs offered here at Community College of Philadelphia,” said Washington in a statement. “The CATC will help Philadelphians access the education and employability skills needed to obtain livable wage job opportunities, and will further our role as the city’s go-to talent pipeline, helping to fill key shortages in the skilled trades industries.”

While the College’s Automotive Technology program will serve as the anchor of the CATC, students will be able to pursue training that aligns with the needs of employers in Philadelphia and throughout the region, which includes Advanced Manufacturing programs such as Electro-Mechanical Technology and Welding, and entry-level health care career training such as Nurse Aide and Dental Assisting.

Washington noted that it is her hope to see this model grow across the city.

Prior to joining CCP, Washington served as campus director at Strayer University for 10 years, where she was responsible for the successful start-up, retention, and enrollment goals of eight brick-and-mortar campuses in Georgia, Alabama, New Jersey and Philadelphia. 

She is a graduate of Temple University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in education. Washington also holds a master’s in business administration with a concentration in global management from the University of Phoenix, and a master’s in education from Strayer University with a concentration in educational management. 

The building facility for the CATC originally broke ground in November 2020, and is expected to officially open this fall.