The Washington County Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Skills Gap Forum that gathered regional companies and school superintendents from Washington and Greene Counties to seek ways to address the growing need for people to enter into job markets that do not require a four year college degree. The forum opened with a presentation that showed how college costs have increased 250% from 1997 to 2022. It compared traditional private university costs and time frames for degrees showing a 5 year completion period costing on average $178,000 to that of a trade school taking 18 moths to complete costing $35,000 on average. Two panel discussions were held with local companies and corporations discussing the need for skilled workers and the difficulties finding them. The biggest obstacles companies are facing is the idea that trades are menial jobs. Panelists spoke to many of their technicians making six figure incomes. Several panelists spoke to the flexibility of work hours also. The Southwest Corner Workforce Development Board was on hand to enhance their role in working with local schools to enhance the communication that skilled trades jobs such as electricians, plumbers and carpenters along with cosmeticians are excellent earning opportunities for students that do not wish to attend a four year college degree program.