People often ask me how I define work-force development. As the president of John Tyler Community College, I view work-force development in broad terms. Perhaps that's because of who we are and what we do at John Tyler. Our vision is "a success story for every student" -- whether that student wishes to become a nurse, a machinist, an accountant, a teacher, or an electrician.

At John Tyler, it is our job to make sure students receive the education they need to succeed. At the same time, it is our job to deeply understand the needs of the communities we serve. After all, in order to lure new business investments in this day of global competition, a community must be able to tout a skilled and diverse work force.

At the same time, the evolving needs of existing business must be met. John Tyler Community College plays a vital role in that equation. Our challenge at John Tyler is great: A 22-percent enrollment increase over the past two years has added significantly to the number of those seeking to change their lives through education.

For example, this community and communities all across the nation need more nurses. To help tackle the problem, John Tyler Community College recently partnered with Chippenham/JohnstonWillis medical centers to provide a new facility, and thereby expand the college's nursing program by 50 percent so that more graduates can enter the health care work force every year.

When manufacturers expressed concerns about the lack of skilled entry-level workers, John Tyler responded by forming the Manufacturers' Coalition. With the help of the coalition members, the college was able to develop Quick Start, a six-week program offered free by the sponsors to qualified students seeking the basic skills needed for jobs in manufacturing and the skilled trades. Two classes have already graduated.

These initiatives are just two examples of the college's long history of entering into private/public partnerships aimed at fostering ongoing dialogue with employers and ensuring that graduates leave John Tyler fully prepared to immediately enter the work force.

To be successful in these endeavors, our institution must be flexible. After all, demands continually change. New technology requires new skill sets, and the learning curve can be overwhelming for a longtime worker suddenly facing new job requirements.

As a community college, we enjoy the ability to quickly develop programs and modify existing ones to meet these changes. We frequently evaluate the programs we offer to ensure the best education possible for our students, while also providing the skilled work force needed by our community. New additions to our service area, such as Rolls-Royce in Prince George County, call for, and receive, tailored solutions.

In addition to these targeted efforts, the college also offers more than 56 professional and technical programs, developed in conjunction with local advisory boards composed of area business and industry leaders and specialists. Working with our advisory boards means that our programs remain focused on the credentials and skills that students need to excel in their chosen fields.

At John Tyler, we also see work-force development reaching into the next generation. Through our dual enrollment program, students who want to pursue careers in technical fields can start college-level training before they even graduate from high school. Our Tech Prep program also reaches out to teenagers and to the counselors who advise them, providing information about potential career pathways that do not necessarily involve four-year degrees.

Many high school students, parents, and counselors are simply unaware of the lucrative careers available to those who pursue two-year degrees in fields as diverse as mechanical engineering, information technology, and funeral services.

We are currently focusing efforts on placing career coaches in middle and high schools in our service area. Career coaches work with students to develop career and educational goals, tapping into the potential of many students who might not otherwise pursue higher education.

John Tyler Community College's efforts also extend into what people traditionally think of as workforce development. Last year, more than 14,500 individuals and 700 employers were served through the Community College Workforce Alliance, an amalgamation of the work-force units at John Tyler and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College. CCWA designs, develops, and delivers customized training for a variety of corporate and government clients and also offers courses to individuals looking to upgrade job skills.

Virginians certainly have many resources when it comes to work-force development and training; however, community colleges, such as John Tyler, offer the most cost-effective, reliable, and adaptable means to improve our commonwealth's economic outlook.
Marshall Smith is president of John Tyler Community College.