Sat Nov 21 2009
Northwest Ohio is known for its strong work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and the strength of its communities. During the past several years, many of our communities have been hard hit by a recession no one was prepared for.
We have all heard the stories of the Great Depression from our grandparents and great grandparents. During the Depression much was learned, but we are now finding that we still have more to learn. Why do some businesses thrive and others die? What makes a community survive?
Community as defined by Merriam Webster is a "unified body of individuals." How this unified body works together to learn, grow and achieve will affect the future of the individual and the future of the community they live in. Much has changed in our communities over the last 40 years. We have become more diverse as we have watched new businesses and families move in and long-standing businesses and founding families fade away.
Change cannot be stopped. Advancements in technology and communication have brought the world together in ways nobody could have predicted. Our local communities need to look for ways to move forward or they will unfortunately be left behind. There is no such thing as standing in place, the world surrounding us forces change.
Current businesses are looking to find new markets and new ways to compete as they operate in a global economy. The workforce is being required to gain new skills and training that goes beyond high school. The day when a high school or college education would serve a graduate for a lifetime is gone. No longer will workers stay at one job throughout their career. Workers today are expected to do many jobs and will be expected to use a wide range of skills over their working lives. We will be required to become lifetime learners in order to survive.
Technical colleges were created to offer skilled training as technology brought automation, new machinery and computerization to our communities. Community colleges evolved from those technical schools as the educational needs of our communities grew. The name "community college" was given to show that these institutions were established and built to serve the needs of the communities that surrounded them. The importance of the community college in our region has never been demonstrated as strongly as it is right now with this struggling economy.
Community college enrollment is growing at record speed as workers look to improve their job prospects through increased training and new degrees. The role of a community college is to serve area students in three ways: To prepare them for the job market by offering career and skills training; to provide courses for workers who want to upgrade their skills for workforce re-entry or advancement; and to serve as a bridge to a four-year degree by providing courses for transfer toward a bachelor's degree.
Partnerships in business and education bring new opportunities to communities. At Northwest State Community College, we have partnerships with Defiance College, Bluffton University, University of Toledo, Miami University, Franklin University and others to increase the learning opportunities available to our communities. Partnerships with area businesses and community leaders work to develop training programs that meet the needs of current businesses and assist in economic development by offering a skilled workforce that is attractive to new businesses.
Communities are designed to work together for a common goal. The dreams of our communities need to be nurtured and supported through lifetime learning opportunities that are accessible and affordable. As a unified body of individuals we need to challenge ourselves, our co-workers, our children and grandchildren to grow through building skills and opening our minds to new ideas. We all need to embrace education as a tool to advance the future for ourselves, our families and our communities. Northwest State is your "community" college and we are here to help you achieve your educational goals.
(Dr. Thomas Stuckey is president of Northwest State Community College, Archbold. He can be reached at tstuckey@northweststate.edu)
Comments
By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite.
Inappropriate posts may be removed.
Crescent-News.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post.
Login above or Register to comment.
0 Total Comments Home | Back
Copyright Defiance Publishing, LLC 1995-2009. All Rights Reserved.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Content may not be republished without the expresse written consent of the publisher.
Dix Communications