NOCHE Pursues Talent Dividend
Posted by - 03.30.2010
Increasing the educational attainment of Northeast Ohio residents is an important objective of partners in Advance Northeast Ohio, and the University System of Ohio has set some clear goals for state to become more competitive in the race for talent.
One of the important partners in achieving the state's goal is the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education or NOCHE, which recently sent out the following message:
The need for a bachelor's degree has never been greater. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that by 2020, 75% of jobs will require a post secondary or higher degree or specialized certificate. As a result, Northeast Ohio must increase its college attainment levels to compete. As we have reported in the last several newsletters, CEOs for Cities has challenged metro regions across the country to increase college attainment levels by just 1 percentage point. In Northeast Ohio, this 1 percentage point improvement would translate into a $2.8 billion annual increase in the region's income. This is the Talent Dividend, and NOCHE is helping Northeast Ohio meet this challenge.
Regionally, that 1 percentage point increase in college attainment means about 26,000 more people age 25 and older with four-year college degrees. With the engagement and commitment of key groups across the region – ranging from P-16 councils to chambers of commerce to college presidents – we can achieve this significant objective which will bring tangible economic benefit along with it.
NOCHE's action plan in the first year of this initiative includes
- identifying and convening key stakeholders who will participate in achieving the Talent Dividend,
building an accurate, shared understanding about the educational attainment "landscape,"
- gathering data necessary to develop strategies for the region and a dashboard measuring progress,
- and producing an Action Plan to achieve the Talent Dividend.
Targeted strategies will likely address re-engaging adults with some college/no four-year degree, increasing the transfer rate of students in two-year institutions to four-year institutions, improving college graduation rates, and increasing college readiness of high school students.
NOCHE is committed to the principle that the health of Northeast Ohio is dependent on its educational strength. With many partners at its side, NOCHE looks forward to progressing on the path to increased educational attainment, a robust talent pipeline, and a broader recognition of the opportunities in our own back yard. If you are interested in participating in the Talent Dividend Initiative, contact Associate Director Richelle Kidder at RKidder@noche.org.
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