CASPER Wyo.
Wyoming’s community colleges should work more closely with the state’s Department of Workforce Services to address the state’s shortage of trained workers, a state official says.
Joan Evans, director of Workforce Services, addressed the Governor’s Community College Study Commission Wednesday in Casper. She said it might be beneficial if her department, the state’s community college commission and the state’s eight community colleges worked together more closely.
“What I’m trying to say is all three can bring a different dynamic to the table to help determine what’s needed,” Evans said.
Gov. Dave Freudenthal in April called on the study commission to be bold in examining the state’s community colleges and the ways they are operated and funded. He said revenue from Wyoming’s energy industry makes it possible to take the colleges to a higher level. Wednesday was the commission’s third meeting.
Evans said that working together would help all the parties identify what’s needed.
“It’s my feeling we don’t lack the data but we lack the coordination,” Evans said. “I think it needs to be at some level coordinated so overall we know what the climate of our economy is.”
