education and the economy

Noted from Cool Cleveland:

Smarter, not bigger cities

Surprise! It seems the Census Bureau estimates have been misleading – cities are not in decline and in an even bigger surprise, we discover that a city’s economic success in no longer tied to its population. The most reliable factor to ascertaining the future economic success of a city?

The percentage of citizens that hold a college degree.

OP-ed at Planet Netizen

Brian Sooy & Co. is located in the middle of a self-admitted working-class county, with leaders that have great aspirations for higher things:

• encouraging the growth of innovation technology companies
• enabling small business owners to think entrepreneurially
• Creating new startups by entrepreneurs

To this point, it's been classic: "If you build it, they will come." Lorain County Community College's innovative University Partnership allows residents and students to pursue Bachelor's and Masters degrees at the local community college. It's been very successful, and is one of the keys to improving the economy within our region.

We have a Far Side cartoon on our refrigerator, picturing a sheep standing up in a herd, yelling "Wait, wait, listen to me... We don't HAVE to be just sheep!"

Picture me standing in the town square, standing on a park bench, yelling "Wait, wait, listen to me... we don't have to be just working class!"

"Working class" is a way of thought, not a lifestyle. Change the way we think and perceive the region, and the region (and the economy) will change.