"Germanna Community College President Janet Gullickson recently pitched a bold, what she called necessary, quarter-billion proposal to boost job training on Virginia Community College campuses. The experienced education administrator made the case during the annual legislative forum hosted Dec. 7 by the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce.

Gullickson told those listening to the virtual event that Virginia is not ready to compete in filling current workforce demand for 300,000 skilled workers, but that a state investment of $250 million could move the bar closer.

'If you go across [Virginia], you will find very little infrastructure to do the skilled jobs we need,' she said. 'At community colleges in Virginia, there is very little infrastructure to skill up the workforce,' she said, mentioning demand for heavy duty truck diesel mechanics,'" reports the Culpeper Star-Exponent.

Photo: Janet Gullickson, president of Germanna Community College. Virginia Business.