Also on the agenda are two bills that seek state funding to increase access to the technical colleges, which now have about 5,200 students in degree programs. It would provide enough money to add 200 students. The key difference between the Rowe and Mitchell bills, in addition to size, is that Mitchell's bill would let the technical colleges expand or add whatever programs are needed, not just high-tech programs. Supporters of the technical colleges say the number, size and variety of legislative initiatives signifies growing political support for the technical colleges at a time when many businesses are having trouble finding skilled workers. They have the jobs available now.
Employers back up such claims.
It's really one of our primary growth constraints right now. The need for people, and the potential for jobs, exceeds the number of people who are available. The budget request, like the other bills benefiting the technical colleges, goes to the Legislature. Fitzsimmons, the system president, said last week a 3 percent growth in state funding in each of the next two fiscal years would give the technical colleges enough money to launch a community-college system to be jointly run by the technical colleges and the state university system. The community-college system has several parts.