Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Withers: Wyomingites need more opportunities for degrees

By Kim Withers

Editor's Note

The following is the second in a series of eight guest op-eds from leaders of the Forward Greater Cheyenne initiative…

Successful communities do two very important things.

First, they create a quality of life and sense of place where people want to live. Second, they develop those individuals into a quality workforce and engaged citizenry.

These two goals are at the core of the recently released Forward Greater Cheyenne plan and its eight strategies. I have the pleasure of serving as the strategy coordinator for the plan’s third category, titled LCCC Expansion: Applied Baccalaureate Degrees.

When it comes to workforce here in Laramie County, we have incredible strengths, but also some frightening facts. The community has a strong, middle-skills educated workforce. Not surprising, with LCCC in our backyard. Cheyenne ranks 14th out of 382 metropolitan statistical areas in regard to the percent of the adult population with an associate degree.

However, Cheyenne slides to the bottom, ranking 236th out of 382 for bachelor’s degree attainment. And it’s getting worse. The percentage of our adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher actually declined between 2011 and 2016 in Laramie.


To read the full article click here or email Alexia Eanes.