Education Initiative
State plan aims to have 60 percent of Texans holding a degree of higher education by 2030
Area educators and business leaders joined together Thursday at Texarkana College to learn more about a state initiative to increase the population’s level of higher education. Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Andres Alcantar outlined the details of 60x30TX, which has a goal of 60 percent of Texans ages 25 to 34 holding a higher education credential by the year 2030.
“Currently if we look at that age cohort, we’re looking at about 33 percent in this region,” Alcantar said. “It’s a significant goal, but it’s one that is aspirational and one that certainly requires us to work together because in many ways it is necessary.” Currently, only 15 percent of students 25 and older in Texarkana College’s service area hold a higher education credential.
The plan, crafted by the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board, began in 2015 and is a reflection of what is needed for the future job market. Alcantar said they have been working with industries on the type of labor will be needed, working with educators to make that training available at their institutions, and working with high schools to encourage dual credit opportunities at that level.
“Given all the changes that are happening in terms of industry in the different sectors—what it’s going to take for it to happen is an acknowledgement that it is something we need to do, that we will do, and work together,” he said. “Community college
presidents and faculty working with our high schools, working with universities to create pathways that lead to success. The development of these pathways and have the curriculum and skills attainment possibilities that allow students to really learn the skills that are demanded by industries.”
The 60x30TX plan has four components – an educated population, completion, marketable skills and student debt. The educated population portion is designed to support the economic future of the state. For completion, the goal is to have at least 550,000 students to achieve a higher education credential by 2030. Those credentials should give students marketable
skills, and undergraduate student loan debt should not exceed 60 percent of firstyear wages for graduates of Texas public institutions.
“It will take all of us working together to make that happen” stated Dr. Pam Anglin, the president of Paris Junior College. “For the three community college presidents, as we’ve worked together over the past several years, it became painfully obvious to us that we have huge gaps in the Northeast Texas region when you look at educational attainment level of our population compared to the average educational attainment level in the state of Texas.”
Dr. Brad Johnson, president of Northeast Texas Community College and James Henry Russell, president of Texarkana College also spoke at Thursday’s luncheon, along with Randy Reed, the executive director of Workforce Solutions Northeast Texas. Each described how
important it is to prepare a future workforce for economic growth, as manufacturing jobs are set to increase 400 percent by 2030. Russell also encouraged businesses to join the TWC’s Texas Internship Challenge to provide students with paid internships at their establishments. Information on the program is available at twc.state.tx.us/news/texas-internship-challenge.
TC Dean Dr. Mary Ellen Young also spoke about the community impact the
Phi Theta Kappa honor society is making while assisting with the local 60x30TX Awareness Day, scheduled for April 25.
“We would like to blanket our community that day with the message that higher education is important and to see this initiative across the state,” she said.
For more information on the 60x30TX plan or to hold an Awareness Day event, go to 60x30NETX.com