By Pauline "Wally" Campbell

Each year a substantial number of high tech jobs in Sacramento County go unfilled because our educational system has not provided the training to put people to work. Because of this, opportunities have been lost for individuals to improve themselves economically. With the right direction, our community colleges can meet this challenge.

We must form partnerships with the private sector to understand their needs in order to provide the necessary training to students that will enable them to fill the jobs that are created by new emerging technologies. It is also critical that the community colleges provide education to re-train workers who have been displaced due to defense and private sector cutbacks caused by a rapidly changing economic environment. At the same time we need to continue to provide a low-cost and high quality education to our high school graduates enabling them to transfer to our State and University of California systems. I want to represent you on the Los Rios Community College Board of Trustees. I need your vote. Together, we can make a difference!