CSOs and Incubators

Community colleges with CSOs and incubators have a unique opportunity to demonstrate how to best educate students for today’s industry as well as make an impact on economic development.    -- Dr. Linnea Fletcher, Austin Community College

Contract Service, Manufacturing, or Research Organizations (CSO, CMO, CRO) provide services to a company or firm as agreed to by contract. Community colleges create these organizations in order to increase student opportunities for work-based learning and to provide companies with access to skilled student labor operating specialized, advanced equipment.   

College-run business incubators can leverage the colleges' investment in equipment and space by charging companies to use college facilities to carry out their own research, testing, prototyping and development.

The relationship between community colleges, students, and industry.  Image: Carine Chang and Carole Twichell