The City College for Municipal Employment (CCME) is an education and training initiative available to Philadelphia residents interested in City employment. You must have a Philadelphia residency at the time of enrollment.

In addition, many of the City’s civil service positions have a one-year residency requirement to be eligible for hire. Job postings for open positions include the specific residency requirements.

You can enroll in CCME without a high school diploma or equivalent (GED). However, you must earn 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 need a high school diploma or equivalent. Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) offers high school equivalency classes.

CCME is designed to train and prepare Philadelphia residents for entry level jobs with the City of Philadelphia. Individuals who have previously earned a degree or certificate may already meet the minimum requirements for employment with the City.

City employees with previously earned credentials who are looking to enter a different field of employment with the City should meet with CCME staff before enrollment. Staff can guide individuals through the processes of credential and course review or work-based learning needs to determine the best path forward.

To enroll in CCME, all students must complete a participant consent form and student profile form and provide required program eligibility documents. This information will verify 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 details about this are in the participant consent form.

Once you’ve completed your selected pathway, you’re expected to apply for job openings with the City of Philadelphia. Due to limited resources, individuals shouldn’t enroll in multiple pathways.

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 assisting with any issues that may affect your consistent engagement.

All CCME students must also meet regularly with their Success Coach to maintain eligibility.

If you can’t attend classes each semester, contact the Student Success Navigator. Once enrolled, they can help determine continued eligibility, next steps, and how this may affect your pathway completion timeline.

Actively enrolled CCME students who meet all eligibility and intake requirements can receive an achievement incentive of $550–$1,100 per semester.

CCME achievement incentives are earned through 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.

The Community College of Philadelphia is working with the City to design and provide work-based learning (WBL) experience for the career pathways offered under CCME. These experiences may involve activities such as internships, job shadowing, case scenarios, and mock interviews. Students may also take field trips to learn about City government, the municipal employment environment, and the relevant work in the specific department.

CCME students enrolled in pathways that involve WBL experience will be made aware of these requirements.

CCME doesn’t pay for student parking.

Parking at the CCP main garage is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can pay with cash or a credit card. Street parking is available along most major streets around the main campus. These spots fill quickly and are subject to the 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 trains and prepares individuals for City jobs through two primary pathways.

Entry-level pathways

CCME trains individuals for entry level employment opportunities in the City of Philadelphia for specific career pathways. City employees who wish to switch careers would likely have to start over at an entry level job.

If you’re a City employee interested in CCME, you may determine that the training is for a job below your current classification. CCME might not be the right opportunity for you. Reach out to ccme@phila.gov to discuss whether CCME is the best way to achieve your career goals.

Upskilling pathways

CCME 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 required training for the career progression opportunity.

Typically, the pathways are structured to provide at least one day of classroom instruction during work hours and four days of on-the-job training. The department usually runs the selection process for training and hiring, and supervisors are on board with the proposed structure in advance. These trainings are for City employees only and are limited to each department’s selection criteria and process.

Successful completion of CCME doesn’t guarantee employment with the City of Philadelphia or any other employer.

CCME’s training and other supports are designed to help students gain the qualifying skills and training needed for their career pathway. CCME also helps students prepare to apply and be interviewed for City positions.

Philadelphia Works, Inc., an initiative partner, will serve as an organization to support students with the job search process. In addition, the CCME staff at the Community College of Philadelphia provides support to students looking for jobs.

Individuals who resigned from City employment in good standing are eligible to request reinstatement within five years of their resignation. If approved, the former employee may be reinstated to the same job class or a comparable class with the same pay range as the position from which they resigned. The reinstatement process does not involve submitting an application.

Beyond the five-year window, a former employee must reapply and be placed on an eligible list to be considered for rehire into civil service employment.