America's growing economy is also a changing economy. As technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive, and workers need new skills. Much of our job growth will be found in high-skilled fields like health care and biotechnology. So we must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy...

So tonight, I propose a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st Century...I propose larger Pell Grants for students who prepare for college with demanding courses in high school. I propose increasing our support for America's fine community colleges, so they can train workers for industries that are creating the most new jobs.

—State of the Union Address

As technologies change, oftentimes people can be left behind. And we've got to address it straight on. And one of the greatest places to address that phenomenon is at the community college. The reason why it's the community college is that it's flexible in its curriculum.

We're going to train people for the jobs that actually exist and that requires a system that is flexible, a system willing to take input from the employers, a system willing to change curriculum, if need be, to meet the demands of the local workplace.

So last night in my speech I talked about spending additional money directly on these collaborative programs at the community college level, that take input from business, that take the desire of workers, matches them so people can find good work. And so Congress needs to pass the $250 million job training money to go specifically to community colleges to fund the kinds of programs we're talking about here today...The community college system in America, it's one of our great strengths.

—Speech on Job Training and the Economy,
January 21, 2004

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