Good Morning.  This is a very exciting day for all of us at Lane Community College and I believe also for our many partners in workforce development.  I would like to welcome all of you here to share this celebration with us.  There are a few people that I would like to recognize.  All of them have been instrumental in leading or supporting our work here at Lane and we are very appreciative of their efforts on behalf of the college, and more importantly on behalf of our students.

Congressman Peter Defazio - 
Commissioner Peter Sorenson
Debi Farr, on behalf of state representative Pat Farr
Community college commissioner Cam Preus Braly
Executive Director of the Oregon Community College Association
Lane Community College board members - 
Lane Workforce board members

We are very glad all of you are here.

Lane Community College has been a major player in the economic development of our district for many years.  Whether it is small business development, contracted education, or training and support for dislocated workers, Lane has been part of the solution.

In addition, Lane's very presence here has a major impact on the local economy.   A recent study shows that for every dollar spent on Lane returns a cumulative $19; every $1 students invest returns $4.99 in higher future earnings; graduates enter the workplace with higher wages and increased spending power, boosting the local economy; past instruction at Lane has added $290 million in annual earnings to the local economy, equivalent to 10,000 jobs; and, of course, we know that working citizens are less likely to need public health, welfare, unemployment and safety services.

Our partnerships with business, industry and other governmental entities such as the County and the Workforce Partnership have been instrumental in our success. We have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Workforce Partnership, in all its manifestations over the years.  And the beneficiaries have been our students who have received services and taxpayers whose return on investment has been greater as a result of partnering.
The services provided here are living proof of the wonderful things that can happen when organizations really collaborate.  We value the partnerships we have forged with the department of Human Services, Vocational Rehabilitation and the Oregon Employment Department. 

Another example of partnership is the one we have with our community who supported our bond measure in 1995.  This new center, as well as many other new buildings is a direct result of their generosity.  Lane County has always supported Lane and for that we are very grateful.

This new facility is one wing of our new Workforce Training Center which is an important part of our new aggressive strategy to improve our services to local employers.  This 10,000 square foot wing will house state of the art job search and career development services. This is economic development in action.  A few fact and figures: We have almost 1500 individuals coming through the doors every month, and that's before we are officially open! There are about 450 people engaged in education and training, enrolled in 90 different majors.  As students leave the program and go to work they are earning on average 105% of their previous wage.  This has a tremendous impact on our students and on the economic health of our communities.

This is really a bright spot amidst the doom and gloom regarding our situation nationally and the budget challenges we all face.  Learners, here still get whatever they need to move forward with their lives. Please take a moment to view the success stories in the hallways to get a glimpse of the difference that the Workforce Network has made in peoples' lives.  

We are very proud of this new facility. More importantly, we are very proud of what happens in this building.  It truly is a part of the mission of the college and moves us closer to the college vision of transforming lives through learning.  We look forward to continuing to be of service now and in the future.

Again, thank you for joining us today and welcome.