Jim Petro, Higher Education

Jim Petro, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, calls higher education the most important part any opportunity for economic growth. Ohio's goal is to increase its percentage of citizens with baccalaureate degrees from its current 26 percent to 31 percent—the national average—over the next 10 years. For every percentage point increase, Petro declares, Ohio will experience more than $15 billion in economic growth.

Ohio is attractive to industry in many ways, Petro says. It's geographically well positioned, has a mild climate and a low cost of living. But international business leaders note Ohio is in the bottom 25 percent of U.S. states in degree attainment, raising doubts about Ohio's ability to meet employers' workforce needs.

At the same time Ohio faces high unemployment, Petro adds, employers in the state have been unable to fill 80,000 to 100,000 jobs that require technical skills and, in many cases, some kind of bachelor's degree. The answer lies in more education and workforce training, he says.

For more information, please visit: http://www.wright.edu/regional-summit/2011

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