College program should get high marks

Frontiersman editorial board

Mat-Su College, in an effort to expand its continuing education program, has asked local businesses to help them define what that program will look like, and what services it will offer in the future. The school has already teamed with local businesses to provide short-term course work in subjects like the software program Excel to help business improve the training of their employees.

In an area experiencing tremendous growth, continuing education is a critical part of any formula that ends in success. Mat-Su College should be praised for this effort, and local businesses will hopefully jump at the chance to improve employee training opportunities. A better-trained workforce will benefit individual businesses, but perhaps more importantly, it will help the Valley attract new businesses and it will also provide better opportunities for Valley residents seeking to improve their marketability.

A great example of how these programs can benefit the Valley is the new hospital that VHA plans to build in conjunction with Triad Hospitals Inc. When built, that hospital will provide several new jobs for professional people -- nurses and technicians. In fact, Valley Hospital responded to the college's survey, indicating they had more than 300 employees who could benefit from training courses offered through the continuing education program. If the hospital partners with somebody like Mat-Su College, those technicians and nurses can be trained right here, providing high-paying, technical jobs for Valley people.

For everyone else who works in the Valley the continuing education courses can help improve training levels, and make employees more valuable to the businesses where they work. Also, people who are seeking employment, to improve their employment situations, or just want to learn a new skill can benefit from continuing education.

No matter what your situation, the Valley is growing, and it likely will continue to grow at a fast rate. With growth will come improved employment opportunities, and education is the best way to take advantage of those opportunities. The chance to fill the best jobs with people who already live here is one we should take advantage of.

Mat-Su College, by seeking to improve its continuing education programs, is truly striving to become a community service. It's always better for us when educational horizons expand.