I was recently asked if it is possible that we are overemphasizing the importance of a post-high-school education. The answer to that question was an emphatic “no.” None of us can underestimate the impact of higher education on the future of our state.
After years of lagging at or near the bottom of every measurable category in education, Arkansas has made advances being noticed across the country. In the past 10 years, we’ve made tremendous progress in early-childhood education and academic performance accomplishments by teachers and students in the K-12 system.
But we are far from where we need to be, especially in higher education. Arkansas students still lag behind most states in obtaining college degrees. If we remain at this slow pace, Arkansas’s workforce will not be fully ready and equipped to compete in the global job market.
The first step in improving educational attainment is to understand the opportunities available. Arkansans of all ages can pursue many avenues to advance their education and obtain better jobs. Post-secondary education includes pursuing a two- or four-year college degree, as well as job-specific training and certification programs offered through Arkansas’s two-year colleges and vocational schools.
Once the opportunities are understood, that is when our true work begins. In 2008, I brought together 1,400 education, government, and business leaders from every Arkansas county to discuss the role communities must play in preparing our workforce for the 21st-century economy.
We placed particular emphasis on the need for these leaders to develop strong partnerships within their cities and counties. We asked them to work toward a shared vision that would inform and inspire more people to enter the world of post-secondary education. We encouraged community
leaders to raise the standards of expectation in their schools to ensure that their students are informed, inspired and prepared for the world of higher education and their desired careers. Some
communities have already done just that.
- We know of communities holding regular meetings among business leaders, school leaders and elected officials. The strong partnerships built among these sectors will help direct the future of
- Arkansas’s cities and towns.
- We’ve seen business executives become role models in our secondary schools, providing job-shadow days and internships that motivate students in particular career fields. Many companies are inviting students to tour their facilities and see the career possibilities that await them, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
- Many two-year colleges and local chambers of commerce are providing direct support to Career Exploration classes in our middle schools. These students explore the world and begin planning their own future through Arkansas’s College & Career Planning System, an online career-planning tool. The stories of student engagement have been encouraging.
For those communities that have not yet accepted the challenge, it’s not too late. The tools are available, but they must be utilized. Nobody can create your future for you. There are cities willing to share their success stories of community assessment, planning, and execution by leaders with a new vision for a stronger future — communities like Conway, Helena, Arkadelphia, El Dorado and more. They are leading the way, creating a highly skilled workforce that has already attracted new jobs and expanded existing operations.
These partnerships have the potential to build strong communities for Arkansas families. Moving our hometowns and Arkansas forward should always be our ultimate goal.