The technical writing program at De Anza College is a program that teaches people skills that businesses are looking for. Simply put, this is a program that puts people to work. 

Many of us were disappointed to see the demise of this important program, a critical and invaluable option for professionals in Silicon Valley looking to improve their lives through career training. 

Partnerships between companies and community colleges are vitally important to our local economy. Silicon Valley’s high tech companies like Hewlett Packard and Blue Coat Systems need technical writers to design their documents and consumer manuals. 

The program provides students with an A.A. degree or certificate of achievement in technical writing. The students who enroll in TWRT learn skills that directly lead to a job. 

At the same time community colleges are in desperate need of resources to establish career centers with programs like TWRT — programs that teach people skills that businesses are looking for. 

Federal and state budget cuts are leaving our public schools penniless. The nation-wide trend in fiscal conservatism has focused on cutting small, impactful programs instead of following the trail of where the debt actually originated. 

“It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber,” stated a bumper sticker I remember reading.

TWRT department chair, Marrietta Reber, along with other faculty, students and corporate partners have all fought to preserve the program with every strategy and ounce of strength at their disposal for the past 10 years. 

Students still have an opportunity to raise their voices in support of these efforts. 

Contact De Anza president Brian Murphy and ask him to set aside funding to reinstate the program. 

Help us continue the path toward economic prosperity here at home by calling your state representatives to remind them that domestic issues like jobs and education are a priority.