LEXINGTON, Ky. (October 20, 2003) -- Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, North America are donating $250,000 each to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) to fund the KCTCS Center of Excellence in Automotive Manufacturing over five years.







Central Kentucky Technical College in Lexington and Gateway Community and
Technical College in Northern Kentucky will begin implementation of the
concept. All colleges in KCTCS will be eligible to provide services to partners
at all campus locations as part of the KCTCS Center. The KCTCS Center will
benefit all of Kentucky and other strong automotive manufacturing states such as
Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee.



The Center will:

Help
automotive manufacturers retain or replace retiring employees and shorten the
training gap between new hires and production capabilities through a broad
network of aligned curriculum and training strategies

Expand
cooperative education experiences for KCTCS students in skill trades and
related occupations

"Front-load"
curriculum development emphasizing new technologies as they are introduced to
industry through expanded partnerships with business/industry and
manufacturers

Provide
related services to automotive manufacturing employees such as soft skill
development tools, safety training, or English as a Second Language

Approximately 5.7 percent of Kentucky's workforce is employed (directly or
indirectly) in an automotive-related industry. Kentucky's auto industry
generates $5.5 billion in wages and benefits, including spin-off employment.
Kentucky is the 4th largest producer of cars and the 3rd largest producer of
trucks in the United States. Today's businesses and industries are faced with
serious challenges in remaining competitive and profitable. Rapid technological
advances, a growing number of older and more diverse workers, constantly
changing workplace standards and safety issues, and the globalization of markets
make it increasingly difficult for industries to succeed in the new economy of
the 21st Century. For Kentucky industries, the challenge is even tougher
due to the historically low levels of educational attainment and technological
sophistication of our citizens who comprise our current and future workforce.
Kentucky is uniquely positioned to become the nation's No. 1 state in
automotive production and related industries, but to do so will require a highly
educated and trained workforce capable of meeting industry demands in a globally
competitive marketplace.



To ensure Kentucky's workforce meets these demands, KCTCS will:

Align
existing KCTCS courses and programs with specific training needs of the
automotive sector in manufacturing

Support
curriculum development that promotes technological education

Integrate
cutting-edge instructional technology into innovative distance learning
applications and traditional instruction

Serve
as a state-of-the-art teaching and learning center for skilled trades and
related faculty

Develop
innovative assessment and testing services to enhance employability and
career advancement

Enhance
co-op and internship opportunities between KCTCS institutions and
automotive-related employers

Operate
as a research and development center for new instructional practices and
applications of technology for improved instructional delivery

Disseminate
exemplary materials and teaching strategies to other educational
institutions

Promote
articulation and collaboration among secondary schools, KCTCS, and four-year
universities to prepare students for careers in the automotive industry at
all levels