America and the South seem to have turned a corner on the deep and prolonged recession that started in 2008. The stranglehold it has had on jobs and job prospects caught many by surprise, and it has caused education leaders to refocus state policy on the relationship between career preparation and education. This report provides updates on the ongoing conversation among leaders in Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states about workforce education and job preparation for the future. It looks at the area of greatest job need--the lack of workers in the middle who can perform "middle-skill" jobs. This report explores the role of the region's community and technical colleges--the institutions that grant the certificates and associate degrees needed for many of these jobs--and addresses K-12 education, which plays a vital role in keeping the pathways strong for students to earn the credentials necessary for these jobs. Practices that states are using to identify workforce and education challenges, as well as solutions they are implementing, are described in this report. An appendix contains a list of states, documents, and individuals used as sources of information.