Approximately 26 million citizens were served by federal job training programs in 2009 – an $18 billion expenditure – but only 4% of participants received the type of classroom-based skills instruction that leads to lifelong income gains. America is at the precipice of a serious “skills gap.” The unemployment rate exceeds 9 percent, millions of new college graduates are required by 2020 to meet the demands of the 21st Century economy, and community colleges face significant funding constraints. The public sector has a significant role to play in addressing this problem, but the flexibility and financial capacity of private sector colleges will be critical to finding a solution.