Nixon Leads Roundtable at MCC-Longview
10-29-09
Nixon Leads Roundtable at MCC-Longview
Business & Education Leaders Confer with Governor in Lee’s Summit
By Tribune Staff
Round Table Discussion From Left to Right facing camera: Dr. Fred Grogan
President MCC-Longview, Dr. Jackie Snyder Chancellor Metropolitan CC,
Governor Nixon, David Kerr Missouri Department of Economic
Development, and Katie Steele Danner
From Left to Right Facing away from camera Damond Boatright Chief Exe Officer
LS Medical Ctr., Laura Evans Talent Strategist Cerner Corp., Margaret
Boyd Executive Director of Workforce Development MCC, Kevin Neal Vice
President Human Resources Smith Electric Vehicles and Stan Abrahamson
Director of Automotive Programs MCC-Longview
Tribune Photo/Fred Poese
Governor Jay Nixon was in Lee’s Summit on Thursday for a roundtable with local area business leaders and educators from the Metropolitan Community College (MCC). The event was hosted at the automotive technology lab at MCC’s Longview Community College in Lee’s Summit.
Joining Governor Nixon at the roundtable was the new designee to serve as Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED), David Kerr, who the Governor announced as the new appointee to lead DED pending Senate consent next year. Also joining Nixon and Kerr was Katie Steele Danner, the Deputy Director of DED.
In his opening remarks Governor Nixon recognized Clyde McQueen of the Full Employment Council and State Representative Jeff Grisamore (R) Lee’s Summit/Greenwood for his leadership in the state and for being a constant voice for education, job creation and economic development, as well as our most vulnerable citizens.
Nixon, Kerr and Danner were joined at the roundtable by Jackie Snyder, the Chancellor of the Metropolitan Community Colleges, Fred Grogan, the President of MCC-Longview, Margaret Boyd, MCC’s Director of Workforce Development for Business and Learning Solutions a division of MCC, Stan Abrahamson, Director of Automotive Technology for MCC-Longview, Laura Evans, Cerner Corporation’s leader of talent development, Damon Boatwright, CEO of HCA Lee’s Summit Medical Center, and Kevin Beck, Vice President of Business Development at Smith Electric Vehicles in Kansas City.
Surrounded by TV, radio and print media members, the Governor led the educational and business leaders in a discussion of the need for increased work force job training at Missouri’s community colleges to meet the demands of growing high tech industries.
Governor Nixon emphasized the ability of community colleges to have the agility to quickly adjust to meeting the needs of a quickly expanding workforce with new technologies being created and applied in Missouri’s expanding high tech industries, like Smith Electric Vehicles, which is manufacturing the world’s first all electric commercial truck in Kansas City.
“Our community colleges are vital partners in our efforts to ensure that Missouri workers have the skills to compete for 21st-century jobs,” Governor Nixon said. We are working closely with college and business leaders to pinpoint the skills employers need in their workers and make sure we’re providing training that targets those exact requirements. In this global economy, Missourians are competing for jobs against workers from around the world, not just down the street.”
“Preparing Missourians for high-tech, in-demand jobs of tomorrow is exactly what we do her at Metropolitan Community College and other community colleges across Missouri,” said Chancellor Snyder. “Ensuring that our programs match the needs of Missouri’s employees is a vital step in turning this economy around.”
According to data from the Missouri Department of Higher Education, Missouri’s 12 public community colleges experienced a 5.9% increase in enrollment from spring 2008 to spring 2009. In total, about 90, 000 students attend Missouri’s community colleges, including more than 7600 at MCC-Longview.
“In these challenging economic times, it’s clear that demand for higher education is increasing in Missouri,” Governor Nixon said. “Our challenge will be to ensure that the types of trained workers businesses need are ready and available. This conversation, and others like it around the state, will ensure that our community colleges are prepared to accomplish just that mission.”
Governor Nixon will continue to meet with community college and business leaders around Missouri in the coming weeks to formulate a plan to strengthen Missouri’s workforce and spark economic recovery through vocational and technical training.”
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