Emerging Workforce Trends and Issues Impacting the Virginia Community College System.

The mission of community college workforce development leaders is to provide skill training in emerging high growth occupational areas supporting economic growth and changing workforce needs. This article reports the findings from all Virginia Community College workforce development leaders to identify the emerging workforce trends and issues impacting the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). The research questions focused on emerging high-demand occupational workforce skill needs and the partnerships needed to develop resources for emerging industries and technologies. The survey data show healthcare and technology skill training as the highest in-demand based occupational needs. Strong college and industry collaborative efforts were reported as necessary to provide training that increases competitive employee skills. The gap between reflection and action must be removed to provide real-world, innovative resources to training services that contribute to a skilled competitive workforce and economic progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]