Future workforce to require higher education

Though the 2013 Washington legislative session faces many challenges in the state’s budget, the session also offers opportunities to improve the state’s economy by investing in workforce development via public higher education.

Seventy percent of jobs in Washington state will require some postsecondary training by 2018, according to a report by Georgetown University. This trend is based on two principles: more education leads to greater productivity, and skill requirements have increased over time – a phenomenon known as “upskilling.” If Washington employers expect to compete globally, they mu...