Today, the Complete to Compete Ohio Coalition—a group of more than forty education, community, and business organizations—released a comprehensive action plan to increase the number of Ohioans who earn postsecondary credentials. Despite economist predictions that 65 percent of jobs in Ohio require postsecondary credentials, only 49.2 percent of adults in the state currently have them.
Chad Aldis, Vice President for Ohio Policy and Advocacy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute (a coalition member), issued the following statement:
“We know that a high school diploma alone doesn’t get Ohioans as far as it used to. It’s heartening to see such a large, diverse group of organizations come together and design an action plan to help more Ohioans acquire the postsecondary credentials they need to succeed in today’s global economy. The plan presents a well thought out road map that will prepare students for success in college and careers, improve workforce alignment to create more opportunities, and make it easier for everyone to afford both certificates and college degrees. Especially exciting are the plan’s efforts to expand opportunities for high school students to engage in work-based learning, industry certification, and advanced coursework. Over the long-term, these readiness initiatives will bolster Ohio’s economic competitiveness and strengthen our communities.”
