Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: The College- and Career-Ready Agenda and Economic Development

Nearly every political leader elected last month – governors, state legislators, U.S. Congressional representatives, etc. – ran on a mantle of economic recovery and "jobs, jobs, jobs." Yet, the connection between jobs, economic development and education is too-often overlooked. The college- and career-ready agenda, at its heart, aims to ensure all students graduate from high school fully prepared to take on the challenges of college-level coursework and the 21st century workplace.

The simple truth is that today's (and tomorrow's) workplace requires more education and training than ever before. In 1973, over 70% of the workforce was comprised of workers with a high school diploma or less, yet by 2018, over 60% of the workforce will be comprised of workers with some college, an associate's degree or higher. Many jobs that used to require only a high school diploma or less – manufacturing technicians, auto mechanics, electricians and others – now typically require some postsecondary education or certification. In addition, a quarter of American workers are now in jobs that were not even listed in the Census Bureau's occupation codes 40 years ago. With advances in technology moving faster than ever before, this trend is only going to continue (just think about the "green" economy, which wasn't even on the radar screen a decade ago). All students need a strong foundation to be successful in an economy that values education and skills above all else.

And this is what economic development is all about – bringing the jobs of tomorrow here, today – and ensuring that a strong workforce is in place, ready to step up and fill those new jobs. For a state or community to attract new, high-skilled industries, they need high-skilled employees – or employees who are adaptable learners with strong foundational knowledge and skills that will serve them across industries. States and localities also benefit from being able to demonstrate a strong commitment to education reform and preparing the next generation of skilled workers, entrepreneurs and leaders.

Unfortunately, too many students are failing to graduate from high school or, if they do, are graduating unprepared for their next steps. A third do not complete high school on time, a third of students require remediation upon entry to two- and/or four-year colleges, and only a quarter of employers of recent high school graduates believe those employees are prepared for the job for which they were hired. Despite a national unemployment rate that remains around 10%, there are about 3 million job openings across the country that cannot be filled because of a lack of skilled workers. As Steve Stevens, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce recently said, "Employers are telling us they can't get the employees they need because the local work force doesn't have the proper skills. That's a story we've been hearing for a while. We have to begin to move the needle on this." Given these facts, the path to long term economic recovery and development is clear. States need to maintain their commitment to the college- and career-ready agenda (including building strong career and technical pathways, nicely articulated in a brief by the Association for Career and Technical Education); encourage strong partnerships between K-12, higher education, and the business community; and collaborate with other states, through cross-state partnerships such as the common assessment consortia, to find cost effective ways to bring about change.