Schoolcraft College announced that its fall credit enrollment totaled 11,225, the first time in college history that number has exceeded 11,000. Credit hour totals also reached a new high at 101,859.

The enrollment represents a 15 percent increase in five years, and a 5.12 percent increase over fall 2005. Credit hours increased 5.3 percent over last year’s figures.

While it is difficult to pinpoint exact factors contributing to the college’s growth, possible sources are the growing realization that a college education is crucial to success in a 21st century economy, continued layoffs and early retirements in the automotive industry, and the affordable tuition and flexible class schedule Schoolcraft offers.

The Schoolcraft curriculum offers several programs that are skill specific and prepare students to step directly into the job market. New programs for fall include aviation management, pharmacy technician training, homeland security, nursing assistant training and office specialist.

A new building, the Biomedical Technology Center, will be completed in 2008, and will accommodate 3,500 students who will concentrate in mathematic, scientific and medical areas.

Schoolcraft College is a public two-year college, offering classes at the Livonia campus on Haggerty Road between Six and Seven Mile roads, at the Radcliff Center in Garden City and online.