88500.  The mission of the economic and workforce development
program, subject to approval and amendment by the Board of Governors
of the California Community Colleges, shall include, but not
necessarily be limited to, all of the following:
   

 (a) To advance California's economic growth and global
competitiveness through high quality education and services focusing
on continuous workforce improvement, technology deployment, and
business development, consistent with the current needs of the state'
s regional economies.
   

 (b) To maximize and leverage the resources of the California
Community Colleges to fulfill its role as the primary provider in
fulfilling the vocational education and training needs of California
business and industry.


   

 (c) To work with representatives of business, labor, and
professional trade associations to explore and develop new
alternatives for assisting incumbent workers.  A key objective is to
enable incumbent workers to become more competitive in their region's
labor market, increase competency, and identify career paths to
economic self-sufficiency and lifelong access to good-paying jobs.
This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, career ladder
approaches.
   

 (d) To collaborate with other state and local agencies, including
partners under the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public
Law 105-220), and the Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency, to
deliver services that meet statewide and regional workforce, business
development, technology transfer, and trade needs that attract,
retain, and expand businesses.
   

 (e) To develop, in consultation with the Economic Strategy Panel
of the Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency, local economic
development agencies, the private sector, and labor and community
groups, innovative solutions, as needed, in identified strategic
priority areas, including, but not necessarily limited to, advanced
transportation, biotechnology, small business, applied competitive
technologies, including computer integrated manufacturing, production
and continuous quality improvement, business and workforce
improvement, environmental technologies, health care delivery,
multimedia/entertainment, international trade,  and workplace
literacy.  Strategic priority areas that may be explored if new or
additional funding becomes available may include information
technology, e-commerce and e-trade, and nanotechnology.
   

 (f) To identify, acquire, and leverage community college and other
vocational training resources when possible, to support local,
regional, and statewide economic development.
   

 (g) To create effective logistical, technical, and marketing
infrastructure support for economic development activities within the
California Community Colleges.
    

 (h) To optimize access to community colleges' economic development
services.
   

 (i) To develop strategic public and private sector partnerships.




 (j) To assist communities experiencing military base downsizing
and closure.