Community College/College Teaching Certificates I have both an MA and an MS in Mathematics and would like to teach community college or college level mathematics. The problem is that I have no teaching experience, and so far I have not even been able to get adjunct positions. I would go for a PhD for the purpose of increasing my chances, but am not really interested in research.
I recently discovered some certificate programs for community college/post-secondary teaching which include a one course teaching practicum.
I am interested in knowing about experiences candidates may have had with such programs and if such a certificate would be taken seriously when it comes to being hired.
Also, would high school teaching experience have any weight in obtaining community college/college teaching positions?
I teach at a community college in the Los Angeles area and have worked on part-time and full-time hiring. The following is based in my experience and may or may not apply to you.

Based on the hiring practices where I work, a teaching certificate does not carry much weight. At most it might be a good sign that a candidate was not looking for a community college job as a short-term stopgap, but instead was serious about teaching as a career.

If you want to signal to a department coordinator, dean, or hiring committee that you're serious about teaching, there are much easier ways to do that than getting a certificate. Just put some work into writing a cover letter that comes off right. Don't list your publications or talk about research. Explain honestly why and how you know that teaching is what you want to do. Describe concrete experiences that have convinced you of this.


  so far I have not even been able to get adjunct positions


In my geographical area and field (natural sciences), adjunct positions are absurdly easy to get, provided that you meet the minimum qualifications. Every science department at my school is always desperate for adjuncts willing to work for the scandalously low pay we offer. If you're qualified and we don't hire you, a dozen other community colleges in the area will snap you up. We frequently hire people who are woefully underqualified or known to be flaky.

If you haven't had any luck so far getting an adjunct position, here are some things to think about:


Are you in an geographical area where there are many such openings every year?
Are you getting interviews and then not getting hired? Are you not getting interviews? This will tell you whether the problem is with your paper qualifications or with something you're doing wrong when you interview.
Is it possible that someone is giving you a negative reference?
Have someone look over your job letter and c.v. and give you comments. You may be doing something that is sabotaging your chances. E.g., there may be grammatical errors in your job letter. Make sure your application materials connect the dots with the requirements listed in the ad.
In my district, we require people to submit undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Often when we look at these transcripts, we see signs of trouble. Is this the case for you?