Myths and Action: What Economic Developers Must Know About Workforce Development and Community Colleges (cont.)

Adults in the 25-34 age range will face competition from a global workforce that is becoming more educated and prepared for the demands of technology. A survey of 30 industrialized nations by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)5 reveals the comparative weakness of the U.S. workforce is particularly concentrated in the young adult population, with the following U.S. rankings:

• Adults 45-64 with high school diploma: 1st
• Adults 35-44 with high school diploma: 5th
• Adults 25-34 with high school diploma: 10th

Moreover, in the United States today, the need for basic skills education for adults is well documented:

• 90 million adults over age 25 have no postsecondary education
• 36 million did not graduate from high school
• 52 million have only a high school credential

Implication: Economic developers need to push for workforce development solutions that go beyond K-12 reform, including policies that address the skills gaps in the young adult workforce.

The role of economic developers and community colleges in workforce development

Ignored, these trends will translate into economic stagnation, threatening our productivity, our growth and our international competitiveness. Combating these trends cannot be left to educators alone; it requires efforts on many fronts. The leadership and commitment of economic development is essential. Economic developers should consider the following questions to help overcome this critical challenge.

Does your economic development agency have a broadbased workforce development strategy that includes building the capacity of community colleges?

Economic developers must play central roles in strengthening the critical domain of community colleges and their capacity to upgrade workforce competitiveness. Attention to the community college sector can produce significant gains in the short run and build long-term capacity to benefit business, workers and the well being of the national economy.

Do you have high expectations of your local community college?

In some communities, the partnership between community colleges and economic developers has yielded impressive results, while in others it has been disappointing. The mission of community colleges is access to higher education, workforce development and lifelong learning. Economic developers should have high expectations and be prepared to invest in the achievement of these goals.

But they also should understand some of the major trends that are influencing the workforce development mission of the community college sector. Community college leaders currently face a paradox. On one hand, community colleges are a phenomenal success story in higher education. But while growth in students has fueled increased tuition revenue, the public investment in community colleges has not kept pace.

This revenue squeeze has occurred at the same time that colleges have experienced growing demand for programs that are costly to deliver, such as nursing instruction and education for first-generation college students. Meeting these needs, in light of greater competition for public funding and a commitment to keep tuition low, should be a priority for the economic development community.

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