Community Colleges &
Technology-Based
Economic Growth in
Rural America
Robert Templin
Northern Virginia Community College
Workforce
Infrastructure
Environment
Deployment
Technology in America
Technology sector growing faster than the
overall economy
Information Technology jobs continue
significant growth over next 5 years
High-Tech jobs pay nearly twice the
nation’s average wage
Source: American Electronics Association, 2000
Workforce
Infrastructure
Environment
Deployment
Technology in America
Over one-fourth of all economic growth
in the US in the last 5 years can be
linked to high-technology industries and
technology workers.
Source: US Department of Commerce, 1999
Shakeout!
(DJIA)
24,000
18,000
Internet stocks
Dow 30
12,000
6,000
J
J
A
S
O N
1999
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
Source: theStreet.com (index plotted relative to DJIA), 2001
J
A S
2000
O
N
D
The New Reality: Worldwide IT Revenue
Growth Rates, 2000 and 2001
(%)
40
30
20
10
0
-10
-20
Source: IDC, October, 2001
2000
2001
Workforce Outlook
2002-2004
Workforce decline / plateau
thru 2002-03
2004 significant workforce dislocations/
emerging shortages of high-skill
technology-enabled workers
Outlook 2004-2008:
Economic Transformation
Application of emerging technologies to
create new businesses and transform
existing business sectors
Pervasive adoption of IT/Internet
applications transforming traditional
economic sectors
Business Sectors & Waves of
Transformative Change
Information Technology/
Telecommunications
Biotechnology & Bioscience
Medical & Health Care
Learning, Education & Training
Manufacturing
Emerging Technologies for
2008
Personalized Information Products and
Services
Genetic Research
Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Tools
“Intelligent” Materials
Hybrid Fuel Vehicle Technologies
“Smart” Manufacturing Systems for Mass
Customization
(Source: Batelle, 2000)
Wireless Internet Technology
Beginning in 2003, Wireless Internet
usage will increase at a compound
annual growth rate of 73%
84 million people in the US will plug into
wireless Internet by 2005
Source: International Data Corporation, October, 2001
Mobile Users On The Web
(Millions at Year end)
60%
1,000
900
800
700
600
All Users
Mobile Users
13%
500
400
300
200
100
0
2000
Source: IDC, 2001
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2004-2008: Tech Sector Growth
“By 2004, low-cost PCs and a boom in
broadband access will enable a new
generation of devices, applications, and
always-on wireless services. These advances,
coupled with favorable economic conditions,
will boost the tech sector by almost 12% in
2004.”
(Source: Forrester Research, Oct. 2001)
Strong Productivity Gains
Linked to Internet Use
“Companies integrating Internet
technology into core business functions
showed productivity gains three times
greater than companies that did not.”
(Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2001)
Productivity
Technology-enabled workers
will be the next productivity
driver in most organizations.
Biotechnology
“Genomics has changed our ability to
identify new targets for drug action; we have
gone from famine to feast” SmithKline Beecham
Pfizer announced plans for 23 new drugs
on the market during 2001
Source: PriceWaterhouse Coopers, 2001
2020: Strategic
Technologies
Genetic-based Medical & Health Care
High-powered energy packages
Omnipresent Computing
Nanomachines
Super Senses
Source: Battelle, 2001
Competitive Requirements
2004-2008
The ability of a company to be competitive
in this new business environment requires a
capacity to improve productivity, to innovate,
and to push innovations to market faster
than competitors
This capacity depends upon the abilities of a
skilled frontline workforce to harness the
tools of technology and to quickly adapt to
changes in a global economy
Market Realities
2004-2008
There will be a growing shortage of
high-skill, tech-savvy frontline workers
across a number of industry sectors
that will become a critical choke point
in the growth of many businesses
Training Imperatives 2004-2008
Waves of change will require rapid
development and deployment of training
programs on a national / global scale
Training must meet industry-driven
specifications
Training / education support must be
continuously available to the desktop in
several languages
Implications for
Community Colleges &
Rural Communities
Rural Community College
Opportunity
Positioning of rural community
colleges as integral partners in
emerging national & regional networks
Regional economic clusters
Community college training networks
Industry networks
College-university collaboratives
Rural Community College
Opportunity
Regional Economic Clusters
Niche role in metro economy
Focus on specific industry sectors
Early adopter of new knowledge & skill
Collaborator with research universities
Rural Community College
Opportunity
Community College Training Networks
ACT Centers
National Coalition of Advanced Tech Centers
NSF Centers
Rural Community College
Opportunity
Industry Networks
Information Technology/ Telecommunications
Biotechnology & Bioscience
Medical & Health Care
Learning, Education & Training
Manufacturing
Rural Community College
Opportunity
College-University Collaboratives
AACC
RCCA
League for Innovation
Tech-Based Economic Growth &
Community College Leadership
Understanding the fundamental economic
social changes our society is undergoing
Knowledgeable about the transformational
potential of the Internet for individuals,
organizations, and communities
Skilled in the fundamental tools of working
and learning in virtual environments
Tech-Base Economic Growth &
Community College Leadership
Ability to think transformationally rather
than incrementally
Understanding of tech-based economic
business models and concepts
Leadership as community convener,
catalyst, facilitator, boundary crosser
Training Imperatives 2004-2008
Waves of change will require rapid
development and deployment of training
programs on a national / global scale
Training must meet industry-driven
specifications
Training / education support must be
continuously available to the desktop/
mobile device in several languages
National Imperatives
Community colleges potentially
represent the single largest
distribution network and channel
for tech-based training and
education in the United States.
Rural Community Colleges
New ways of behaving as part of a
national network of community-based
training and education providers and
access points
Community Colleges &
Technology-Based
Economic Growth in
Rural America
Robert Templin
Northern Virginia Community College