A teenage mother with no high school diploma and scant work experience, she was living in a homeless shelter when she discovered that -- with the assistance of a local educational program in central Virginia -- she could move from welfare to work.

The program is called Charlottesville Works, a division of Piedmont Valley (Virginia) Community College (PVCC). It provides education and training opportunities to low-income adults, dislocated workers and single mothers -- anyone on welfare who is struggling to find a job. Its funds come from state and U.S. Government grants, in partnership with local governments and businesses.

As a result, Maynor obtained her high school equivalency certificate, and completed PVCC's insurance support technician certificate program. She began an internship with the local State Farm Insurance Companies office, which led to permanent employment there. Her life has changed, her children are in a healthier environment, and -- not the least of the bright spots -- she recently bought her first car.

Charlottesville Works is one of thousands of workplace programs already in place or being created within America's community college system. Indeed, workplace development is one of the primary aspects, and principal success stories, of the nation's century-old two-year college framework. Its success depends specifically on cooperation and vision in all quarters -- at the schools, in the corporate and work environment, and in the local and regional public jurisdictions.

Throughout their history, and even more so today, community colleges have been critical to facilitating effective school-to-work systems. As a report of the ERIC Clearinghouse for Community Colleges, at the University of California at Los Angeles, has detailed, besides being the primary link between secondary and post-secondary education, they offer "creative transition programs such as tech prep, apprenticeships, cooperative education and career education." In addition, they join with employers, communities, governments and labor organizations.

"Community colleges are, and will continue to be, essential partners in the development and implementation of workforce training programs that meet the skills and needs of Pennsylvania's employers," Secretary Johnny J. Butler, of that state's Department of Labor and Industry, says.

The mid-Atlantic state exemplifies the commitments of jurisdictions across the United States to workforce development. Its community college training network -- linking 14 schools -- provides a range of education and training opportunities not only to benefit students, but also to help ensure that Pennsylvania will remain competitive as far as its workforce is concerned.

When a local steel manufacturer, for example, needed training programs for its mechanical maintenance employees and electricians, Community College of Beaver County nearby created a 30-course industrial training program. When Bucks County, Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia, was experiencing a shortage of nurse aides in its hospitals and nursing homes, the local community college established a certified nurse aide program. When the Philadelphia region found itself without a solid pool of workers for its print shop industry, the city's community college created an associate arts and sciences degree in print shop technology.

"Pennsylvania has long recognized the interdependence of workforce and economic development," says Sam McCullough, Secretary of the state's Department of Community and Economic Development. "A quality workforce is a critical element of business competitiveness. Training is a key element in building a strong workforce."

When Norton Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of automotive crankshafts in Fostoria, Ohio, needed more employees to add aircraft crankshafts to its product line, it confronted a tight job market. A solution was found by a local private industry council in five area counties: Terra Community College, in nearby Fremont, joined a local vocational school in providing 160 hours of education and training that facilitated the hiring of 11 new employees by Norton.

St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, in Hartford, Connecticut, has found a need for customized, cost-effective training for its employees. So, too, have such corporations as Travelers Insurance, Pitney Bowes and some 300 other employers across the state. And so they have turned to the Business & Industry Services Network, linking Connecticut's dozen two-year educational institutions. To benefit its employees, St. Francis joined Capital Community College to customize a 10-week Spanish-language course emphasizing health care, to narrow the communication barrier between patients and visitors. Hospital official David Watson cites "the creativity and flexibility of the professional staff at the college, who provided high-quality and low-cost education," as a vital element in the successful launching of the program.

Pitney Bowes -- a manufacturer of mailing, faxing and copier equipment in Stamford, Connecticut -- found a way to deal with the shrinking pool of educated, skilled workers needed for its special services. For the past 12 years, more than 1,000 company employees have been trained in basic mathematics skills -- and nearly 500 in literacy (including basic reading, writing, speaking, listening and interpersonal skills) -- through courses arranged by Norwalk Community College.

The state of North Carolina (with nearly five dozen community colleges, the third-largest system of its kind in the United States) is acknowledged to be the national leader in support of economic workplace development. Each school has industrial training experts on staff who not only can bring training expertise to a company, but also are aware of the needs of the local labor market. Training programs are devised and coordinated jointly by representatives of a college, a company and the state. Moreover, North Carolina has pioneered customized industry training for new and expanded industries -- offering courses in a variety of industries ranging from auto parts and electronics manufacture to biotechnology and data processing.

One of the more accomplished community college systems in the United States is in Maricopa County, Arizona, which encompasses such cities as Phoenix and Scottsdale. Its community colleges foundation -- which encourages companies to provide scholarships and other assistance for worthy students -- has stressed the essentiality of workforce development. For the past several years, for example, Intel Semiconductors has enjoyed an uncommon partnership with four of the schools to produce semiconductor-manufacturing technicians, while, at the same time, providing hundreds of students with highly marketable career training.

With these numerous efforts underway to stimulate and expand workforce development, at least one state, Illinois, has fashioned a special way to honor two-year institutions in the state, and their workplace partners. Besides promoting excellence in workforce development and heightening awareness of the effectiveness of community college workforce development efforts, the awards are aimed at honoring those whose joint efforts have had significant benefit to regional businesses and their employees, and -- even more important -- publicizing innovative ideas and model programs to other community colleges around the state and the nation.

In this manner, and through other means yet to be imagined, the collaborative efforts to develop the workforce of the future will be bolstered, enhanced and disseminated.

_____

Michael J. Bandler is a writer with the Office of International Information Programs of the U.S. Department of State.

Back to top | Contents, U.S. Society & Values, June 2002 | IIP E-Journals | IIP Home