Technology also places new demands on workforce development. Without a skilled, educated, and prepared workforce, Texas cannot keep up the pace of job creation we have seen in recent years. Those systems must be tailored to the needs of our citizens - offering courses in the evening, on weekends, and via the Internet. That education must also be tailored to the needs of the workplace. Our colleges must be flexible enough to work with employers to train the skilled workers they need, as quickly as they need them.
Few adults can afford to take time off work to continue their education.
Yet those same adults can't afford to let their job skills become obsolete. Community and technical colleges are well-positioned to afford our citizens lifetime learning opportunities and the opportunity to pursue their dreams of a better tomorrow. Fifth, remember that Texas is an increasingly diverse state when it comes to culture, ethnicity, and our economy. Higher education must be accessible for all Texans, regardless of their backgrounds or economic status. You may have noticed in the newspapers over the weekend that minority enrollment at our public universities and community colleges is now the highest ever.