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Gov. Nixon, business leaders outline need for increased training at Missouri community colleges

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The need for workers with vocational or technical training is growing quickly, and Missouri must be ready to keep up.

That was the central theme of a roundtable discussion led by Gov. Jay Nixon during a visit to the automotive training program at Ozarks Technical Community College today.  Gov. Nixon visited the campus to hear directly from college administrators and local business leaders about strategies to help Missourians compete for 21^st-century jobs.  After touring the automotive program’s shop, the Governor and the leaders discussed the need to train additional Missouri workers to meet the demands of high-tech, growing industries.

Just weeks ago, Gov. Nixon conducted a series of meetings with business executives across Missouri to address opportunities for and challenges to turning this economy around.  In multiple communities, business leaders emphasized the need to invest in workforce training and development, especially at the community college level. 

“To turn this economy around, Missouri must have the right workers with the right skills to compete for the jobs of tomorrow,” Gov. Nixon said.  “Our community colleges are vital partners in these efforts.  Together, we’re identifying the skills employers need in their workers and ensuring that our community colleges are providing programs that target those exact requirements.  In the 21^st-century economy, Missourians are competing for jobs against workers from around the world, not just down the street.  By making a serious investment in job training, we’ll ensure that Missouri’s workforce keeps good businesses here, while attracting new employers as well.”

“Here at OTC, we’re training our students to compete for the careers of tomorrow,” said Hal Higdon, president of Ozarks Technical Community College. “Whether it’s in health care, automotive mechanics or computer technology, our workforce development and degree programs help students succeed in challenging and rewarding careers.  We look forward to continuing this dialogue with Gov. Nixon in the coming weeks to determine the best ways to make our programs more accessible for Missouri students, and more beneficial for Missouri businesses.”

According to data from the Missouri Department of Higher Education, Missouri’s 12 public community colleges experienced a 5.9 percent increase in enrollment from spring 2008 to spring 2009.  In total, about 90,000 students attend community colleges.  That is nearly 40 percent of the total enrollment in public institutions of higher education, including both two- and four-year institutions, in the state.

The demand for workers with post-secondary training, such as the training offered at a vocational school or community college, is growing rapidly.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 3.9 million post-secondary vocational degrees or certificates were awarded between 2005 and 2006.  That’s an increase of more than 30 percent over the number of those degrees awarded 10 years previously.

“In these challenging economic times, it’s clear that demand for higher education is increasing in Missouri,” Gov. Nixon said.  “Our challenge will be to ensure that the types of trained workers businesses need are ready and available.  This conversation, and others like it around the state, will ensure that our community colleges are prepared to accomplish just that mission.”

Gov. Nixon will continue to meet with community college and business leaders around Missouri in the coming weeks to formulate a plan to strengthen Missouri’s workforce and spark economic recovery through vocational and technical training.