Emerging Policy Triangle: Economic Development, Workforce Development and Education

From the national Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), this is an updated (2007; 130 pp) version of the 2004 original. Written by Dennis P. Jones and Patrick J. Kelley, it includes updated profiles for all 50 states and international comparative data.

Few issues unite policymakers in quite the same way as that of economic development. Whether their responsibilities are national, state, regional, or local in nature, individuals whose job it is to make and implement public policy find common ground in their interests in ensuring economic growth and prosperity. All understand that the American way of life is fundamentally dependent on economic competitiveness. They also understand the rest of the equation—strong economies are characterized by an abundance of well-paying jobs and, overwhelmingly, well-paying jobs are held by individuals who have knowledge and skills obtained through education beyond high school. Where physical capital drives industrial economies, human capital drives economies in the information age.