The 2004 State of the Union address included an announcement that $250 million was being allocated to community colleges for workforce development programs. This indication of support was good news in light of the recent trends for level funding or cutting back on educational programs, and demonstrates the perceived benefits of workforce development programs on a local and national level. Workforce development can be valuable in helping community colleges meet the needs of a competitive global economy and advancing a state's economic growth by providing services to businesses and organizations. The following documents describe these benefits and also raise some concerns about how to balance the competing missions of job training and transfer preparation.