Just as good community colleges pivot to mirror the needs of their local communities, the multistate Auto Communities Consortium (ACC) continues to evolve to counteract the challenges encountered by employers in its service region. Established in 2010 to address pervasive economic losses faced by communities whose major employers were auto…

Nearly a decade ago officials at New Jersey's 19 community colleges sought a way for the state's two-year career and technical college system to work together to more efficiently serve the workforce development needs of the state. The goal was to say to businesses, "If you have a training need, we can help by delivering the…

A safe, efficient, and effective transportation system is critical to the growth and stability of the U.S. economy, America's ability as a nation to compete in increasingly competitive global markets, and as a commuter network that provides access to jobs and recreational facilities that are important to quality of life for all Americans. The…

President Barack Obama has touted the development of a new green economy as a tool to rebuild the American economy while creating new jobs. This new economy requires entrepreneurs and innovators to create new businesses and invent new technologies. It also requires technicians with specialized skills to build wind farms, operate renewable fuels…

"The Road to Recovery: Projecting U.S. Job Growth and Higher Education Demand through 2020" (this issue, p26-29) presented six key indicators that highlighted the latest in education and employment needs for the success of the future jobs market. While the U.S. economy is growing, questions still remain: What skills do employers value…

Lawmakers this year on Capitol Hill will weigh critical issues of importance to the nation's community colleges. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) will be hard at work to ensure the interests of two-year institutions are well represented. This article takes a brief look…

This article presents an interview with James E. McGreevey, Governor of New Jersey. In this interview, Gov. McGreevey discusses workforce and economic development in New Jersey and how he plans to expand higher educational opportunities.

Community college leaders recognize that being at the center of the economic and workforce development universe brings many privileges, but there are also challenges and consistent demands for accountability. The center of such a universe can be an unstable place unless there are talented and committed individuals at the core who share the same…

Describes the California Community Colleges' goal to advance the state's economic growth through quality economic development programs. Discusses the importance of assessment and presents the results of an outcome evaluation, stating that California will collect $1.42 in taxes over the next 10 years for every dollar it spent on economic…

States across the country are all chasing what are becoming known as "new-age" technologies. These are technologies such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, bio-informatics and others. These technologies offer the potential for long-term economic growth and well-paid jobs to employees working in these sectors. As these technologies mature,…

Manpower, a global employment services company with operations in over 67 countries, engages every day with the economic and business trends that are reshaping enterprises worldwide. As a partner in workforce development projects, Manpower has also seen the impact of these trends on the design of effective training and employment initiatives for…

Analyzes the shift in the balance of power between proponents of general education and proponents of workforce development in community colleges. Stresses the importance of the intellectual climate in community colleges, suggesting that both factions recommit themselves to being members of a coalition. (NB)

Discusses Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest (California), where 80-85 of all local jobs are with one employer, the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS). States that massive layoffs at NAWS inspired creative ways of rethinking the community college model at Cerro Coso, such as creating the nation's first computer graphics imagery…

Argues that, despite national data showing a limited role for associate-degree-only graduates in information technology (IT) occupations, the high levels of enrollment, low graduation rates, and large numbers of older students suggest that community colleges are functioning as retraining institutions rather than primary training institutions.…

The "Dream It. Do It." campaign was launched by a community that cares about its growth, its future and the future of its young people. Launched as a joint initiative with the National Association of Manufacturers and its Manufacturing Institute in a bold and committed effort to fill the talent shortage looming for U.S. manufacturers,…