Empowering Community Colleges to Empower Tech Workersby Congressman John B. Larson (D-CT)
The United States of America is facing an economic turning point and our workforce is ill-prepared to meet the demands of a 21st century global economy. We must provide ways for workers to get the technology training they need to excel in the industries that will form the backbone of our future economy.
Community colleges have played a vital role preparing students for jobs in local business sectors. They reach into communities with almost 1,200 locations across the country, in urban, rural, and suburban areas. Nearly every American can access a community college.
With the Community College Technology Access Act (H.R. 2060), we hope to expand the mission of community colleges to provide students and the public at-large with a technology hub and training center. This bill would provide grants to community colleges that open up their computer labs to the public and provide free computer instruction on nights and weekends.
In my home state of Connecticut we have seen the impact community colleges can have on an area. Local schools have taken the lead on expanding access to technology for students. Capital Community College in Hartford, for example, has dedicated an entire floor of its building to information technology training, and has over 1,200 computers on its campus.
By providing community colleges with additional resources, we can give millions of Americans access to the training they need to improve their skills and join the workforce of the future. In order for our nation to recover, our workers must have the ability to compete in an increasingly globalized economy. Community colleges are one of our strongest means to meeting this need.
ACCT encourages community college trustees, presidents, administrators, faculty, students and other advocates to contact your Congressional representatives and encourage them to support H.R. 2060. Click here to contact members of Congress from your area now.
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