City College for Municipal Employment

The City College for Municipal Employment (CCME) is an education and training initiative available to Philadelphia residents interested in City-supported municipal employment opportunities. You must have a Philadelphia residency at the time of enrollment. Many City civil service positions have a 1 year residency requirement to be eligible for hire. For specific residency requirements, refer to work.phila.gov.

CCME is designed to train and prepare Philadelphia residents for entry-level jobs with the City of Philadelphia. Once you have completed your training, you are expected to apply for job openings in your selected pathway with the City of Philadelphia. Due to limited resources, individuals should not enroll in multiple pathways.

You can enroll in CCME without a high school diploma or equivalent (GED). You must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent by the anticipated date of completing your CCME pathway. To be eligible for employment with the City of Philadelphia, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) offers high school equivalency classes. 

To enroll in CCME, all students are required to complete a Participant Consent Form, a Student Profile Form, and provide required program eligibility documents. This information will be used to confirm identification, residence, and employment eligibility. The City and CCP respect the rights of participants, including their right to privacy and will maintain personal information in confidence as required by law. More detail about this is outlined in the Participant Consent Form.

CCME students are expected to attend all class sessions and other CCME activities. Recognizing that circumstances can arise, CCME staff are available to support you in staying on track and assist with any issues that may affect your consistent engagement. All CCME students are expected to regularly meet with their Success Coach to maintain eligibility. 

If you cannot attend class in each semester once you are enrolled in CCME, you must contact the Student Success Navigator to determine continued eligibility, next steps, and how this may affect your pathway completion timeline.  

Actively enrolled CCME students having met all eligibility and intake requirements are eligible to earn achievement incentives in the amount of up to between $550 to $1100 per semester. CCME achievement incentives are tied to various expectations (timely submission of required documentation, active participation, good standing, workshops, meetings with CCME staff, etc.). Failure to meet these expectations will likely affect your achievement incentive.

CCME does not pay for students’ parking. Parking at the CCP Main Garage is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can pay with cash or with credit card. Street parking is available along most major streets around Main Campus. These spots fill quickly and are subject to posted meter or kiosk hourly rates. Students actively enrolled in their CCME career-specific pathway course(s) may be eligible for transportation assistance through the City of Philadelphia. Speak with your CCME Success Coach for further details. 

CCME is designed to train and prepare Philadelphia residents for entry-level jobs with the City of Philadelphia. Individuals having previously earned a degree or certificate may already meet the minimum requirements for employment with the City. Those with previously earned credentials and who may be looking to enter a different field of employment with the City of Philadelphia should meet with CCME staff before enrollment to be guided through the processes of credential and course review or work-based learning needs to determine the most suitable path forward. 

Yes, but it depends on the circumstances regarding why you left City employment. Individuals who left City employment in good standing are eligible to re-apply for City employment within five years of their separation.

CCME trains and prepares individuals for City jobs through two primary pathways:
a. Entry-level Pathways - CCME trains individuals for entry level employment opportunities with the City of Philadelphia in specific career pathways within the City of Philadelphia. In some cases, a City employee may wish to switch their career path progression to an entirely new field. If so, most likely a City employee would have to start at an entry level in their newly chosen field. Pathways offered for entry level employment are aligned with a specific job within the City of Philadelphia. If you are a City employee interested in an offering through CCME, you may determine that the training is for a job classification beneath your current classification. If that is the case, then CCME might not be the right opportunity for you. If you are a city employee interested in a specific offering, reach out to ccme [at] phila.gov to get further guidance on whether CCME is the best way to achieve your career goals.
b. Upskilling Pathways - CCME also provides upskilling opportunities for current City employees in various departments. These upskilling pathways are designed with each department to move individuals from existing roles into higher level roles. CCME and the City work closely with the specific City department on the needed requisite training for the career progression opportunity. Typically, the pathways are structured to provide at least 1 day of classroom instruction during work hours, and 4 days of on-the-job training. The department typically runs the selection process for these trainings and hiring and supervisors are on board with the proposed structure in advance for the participants. These trainings are for City employees only and are limited to each Department’s own selection criteria and process.

CCP is working with the City to design and provide work-based learning (WBL) experiences for the career pathways offered under CCME. These experiences may involve activities such as internships, job shadowing, case scenarios, mock interviews and field trips to learn City government, the municipal employment environment, and the relevant work in the specific city department. CCME students enrolled in pathways that involved WBL experiences will be made aware of these requirements during their time in CCME.

Successful completion of CCME does not guarantee employment with the City of Philadelphia or any other employer. CCME's training and other supports are designed to facilitate and streamline the process for students to gain the qualifying skills and training needed for the relevant career pathways and to apply and be interviewed for City positions. Philadelphia Works, Inc. - a partner of CCP and the City in CCME will also serve as an organization to support students with the job search process. In addition, the CCME staff at CCP also provide support for students in the job search process.