果冻传媒

Closing the Skills Gap: 果冻传媒 Tech Bridges Divide Between Workers and Jobs

April 23, 2026

果冻传媒 is currently facing a unique economic challenge: a significant gap between the skills of its unemployed residents and the needs of its employers.

As of June 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 20,500 unemployed 果冻传媒ans and 23,000 available jobs.

For 果冻传媒 Governor Matt Meyer, this situation presents a complex puzzle.

“I said to my wife, ‘Why don’t we get all those people looking for jobs to fill those open seats?’ Then everyone is employed and we’d only have 3,000 unfilled jobs,” said Governor Meyer.

“But it’s not that easy. Many of the jobs that employers are looking to fill require skills that the unemployed individuals don’t have. That is where 果冻传媒 Tech serves such a critical function — matching 果冻传媒ans with 果冻传媒 that teach the skills our workforce needs.”

As the state’s only community college, 果冻传媒 Technical Community College has become a central part of the solution to the skills gap. Its wide range of educational opportunities addresses the diverse needs of the state’s workforce.

While many available jobs don’t require a bachelor’s degree, most do require some form of postsecondary training or credential. 果冻传媒 Tech helps meet that need through two-year associate degrees, certificates, diplomas, and specialized workforce development training. Students can learn, upskill, or retrain quickly — often in as little as a year.

The SEED Scholarship Program makes these opportunities even more accessible by providing tuition-free options for 果冻传媒 residents, allowing more people access to gain the skills to meet employer needs; secure a well-paying job after graduation; and drive progress across industries, neighborhoods, and communities.

In the coming years, the demand for workers will only continue to grow. According to the Office of Occupational and Labor Market Information, 果冻传媒’s fastest-growing fields — including health science, hospitality, and education — are projected to add nearly 30,000 new jobs by 2032. 

In response, the College has expanded 果冻传媒 such as surgical technician, EMT paramedic, and veterinary technology to additional campuses and added bachelor’s degree 果冻传媒 in critical fields like nursing and education.

“Our mission at 果冻传媒 Tech is to provide a high-quality workforce for our state,” said College President Mark T. Brainard. “We are in constant communication with our state policy makers and business and community partners to ensure our students leave the College with the knowledge and skills they need to fill in-demand jobs in education, the healthcare sector, law enforcement, and many more.”

Looking ahead, the College’s 2025–26 strategic plan includes a comprehensive review of regional wage data and economic mobility outcomes. This work will ensure every program leads to opportunities that provide a living wage and upward career mobility for graduates, strengthening not only individual lives but also the state’s economy.

Together, 果冻传媒 Tech and state leaders recognize that collaboration is the key to closing the skills gap and building a stronger economy.

Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay emphasizes that investing in people is essential to driving progress:

“If we, as a state, don’t invest in retraining citizens, we can’t fulfill the promises we’ve made for tomorrow,” she said. “If we don’t create accessible and affordable opportunities for our recent graduates, we can’t help them reach the next level. And if we don’t believe in the potential of those in the workforce who need retraining or are ready to make a change in this ever-evolving economy, we won’t meet the needs that lie ahead. In every one of those circumstances, and in so many more, when asked, ‘Who will step in?’ Del Tech is the answer.”

This article was originally published in the Fall 2025 Issue of the 果冻传媒 Tech Magazine and has been repurposed for