Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said as the need for advanced skills in the workforce continues to grow, institutes of higher education can do more to prepare the 21st century workforce for 21st century jobs.

Enzi, a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, chaired a full committee hearing today called "Higher Education and the Workforce: Issues for Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act".

Some American companies are seeking workers overseas because not enough workers in this country have the skills businesses require for specific jobs.

"We can keep more of our jobs here at home and sustain our economic prosperity by adjusting the focus of our community colleges and universities. Some institutions, like Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, are ahead of the curve in designing curriculum and partnering with the businesses in their communities to design programs that will help students enter high-growth and high-wage job sectors," said Enzi. "Through legislation like the Higher Education Act and other bills like the Workforce Investment Act, we can meet this challenge as part of a comprehensive approach to improving the lives of our workers, and increasing the strength of our businesses and communities."

Testimony was heard from: Dr. Charles Bohlen, President of Laramie County Community College in Wyoming; Dr. James C. Votruba, President of the University of Northern Kentucky; Dr. Beth Buehlmann, Executive Director of the Center for Workforce Preparation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Diana Oblinger, Executive Director of Higher Education, Microsoft; and Ellen O'Brien Saunders, Executive Director of the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.