One component of postsecondary education needed for economic recovery and development relates to blue-collar industries, jobs requiring some postsecondary training but less than a four-year degree. The U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program provides funding for community…

Describes a study of the direct services to business provided by Colorado's community colleges, including all customized, contracted instructional and noninstructional activities. Compares Colorado with national trends with respect to diversity, concentration, expansion, and tension between academic and business-service roles. (MAB)

Reviews Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) services and JTPA's potential for helping community colleges retain students. Discusses how community colleges can effectively expand their role in meeting the educational needs of JTPA participants through collaborative job training efforts with private enterprise. (DMM)

Reviews the history of two-year colleges in Alabama, arguing that the colleges lack a focus on mission and purpose and have not generally met the state's need for a technically trained workforce. Describes initiatives of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, formed to develop linkages between colleges and industry. (AJL)