By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ERLANGER - Toyota Motor Manufacturing pledged $500,000 Monday to a fund-raising campaign that will benefit the state's community colleges and technical schools.

Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) president Michael B. McCall kicked off the "Fulfilling the Promise" campaign Monday. McCall did not announce a fund-raising goal but said the five-year campaign, which will target private donors, is expected to eclipse the $43 million that Kentucky's community college system raised in the mid-1990s.

McCall said raising the money is crucial, because the system's funding has been cut by $7 million over the last two years as Kentucky lawmakers have struggled with balancing the state budget. The money would be used for scholarship endowments, program support, new technology and equipment, faculty and new facilities.

"KCTCS plays a pivotal role in addressing many of the challenges facing Kentucky, but only if we stay ahead of the curve and capitalize on the exciting opportunities that lie ahead," McCall said.

Toyota's North American manufacturing headquarters is in Erlanger and it has a vehicle factory in Georgetown. Its contribution will be used to "enhance the skill levels of automobile-industry employees and increase the viability of automotive manufacturing in Kentucky," KCTCS said in a statement.

About 5.7 percent of Kentucky's workforce is directly or indirectly employed in an automotive-related industry, which generates $5.5 billion a year in wages and benefits, according to the statement.

Gateway Community and Technical College in Boone County will be among the first to implement the automotive training and skills classes. The program will include:

• Aligning courses and programs with specific training needs of automotive manufacturing.

• Enhancing co-op and internship opportunities between students and automotive employers.

• Helping employers retain or replace retiring employees and shortening the training gap between new hires and production capabilities through curriculum and training strategies.

More training is needed in Kentucky because of "historically low levels of educational attainment and technological sophistication of our citizens who comprise our current and future workforce," KCTCS said in the statement.

About 71,000 students are enrolled in KCTCS schools, which includes 62 campuses open or preparing to open across the state.

The Associated Press contributed. E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com