Associated Press
Thursday, December 27, 2007

RICHMOND -- Leading figures in economic development, education and business are hoping to revamp Virginia's workforce development system to make it easier for businesses to find skilled workers.

State officials and educators have long recognized the problem of a fragmented system, state Secretary of Education Thomas R. Morris said at a recent economic leadership meeting.

"This is something that state government has been wrestling with for a good long period of time," he said. "If it was easy to reorganize it, it would already have been done."

Workforce development is a priority for Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's (D) administration, Morris said.

Still, economic development officials say the disjointed system hinders efforts to attract investments and jobs.

"Trying to explain 28 different programs in 12 different agencies -- that is not a program, that is a nightmare," said Jay A. Langston, senior research manager for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, which recruits businesses to Virginia.

Although Rolls-Royce officials praised Virginia's educational system when they announced plans to open a $100 million jet engine plant in Prince George County, company executives suggested fixing the workforce program, Langston said.

The state also is putting increased emphasis on technical training.

Morris noted that the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and the Virginia Community College System will create two research centers, new professorships, internships, and training programs in affiliation with the Rolls-Royce project.

"What is happening in Prince George County . . . is a template for what could happen all across the commonwealth of Virginia," he said.

But Morris said the larger issue is that only about one-third of Virginians ages 18 to 24 are in post-secondary education -- below the national average.

"If Virginia does not do a better job preparing its students to move into post-secondary education," he said, "we will not have the workforce that we need."