Withers: Wyomingites need more opportunities for degrees

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 County, while over the same five-year period, the average American community has increased bachelor’s degree attainment.

This alarming trend is also a state issue. Wyoming ranks 48th in the nation for bachelor’s degree production, just above two states – Nevada and Alaska – and far below our neighboring states.

Consider this: To reach the national average for bachelor’s degree attainment, Wyoming would have to nearly double the number of students earning bachelor’s degrees each year. To reach levels similar to Nebraska and Utah, we would need to triple these numbers.

While we are blessed with an exceptional university, it is a single university for the entire state, and the University of Wyoming simply cannot do it all. We estimate that UW would have to increase bachelor’s degree graduates by more than 500 percent for Wyoming to be on par with Colorado by 2025. That’s just not feasible.

So why is this important? Mentioned previously, Cheyenne benefits tremendously from the degree production and capacity at LCCC. However, we must depend almost entirely on recruiting people at the upper end of the educational attainment spectrum (bachelor’s and advanced degrees) from other places. This is a remarkably difficult obstacle to overcome if we want a diverse, thriving economy for our community.

Today, and more so in the future, bachelor’s degree attainment of a community’s workforce directly impacts wage growth, job creation, business expansion and business recruitment.

The answer, we believe, is to expand opportunities for individuals in our community to earn their bachelor’s degree. One of our efforts will be to encourage UW to engage with our community to understand, and then respond with programming that meets our needs. The other, more significant effort is to have LCCC begin offering applied bachelor’s degree programs here in Laramie County.

Applied bachelor’s degree programs are designed specifically for students who already have technical associate degrees or similar credentials in a technical field and require the practical skills and knowledge for advancement. These programs are workforce development focused and are intended to serve populations of that aren’t currently being served, and often cannot move through the traditional pathway to a BS or BA degree.

Twenty-four states (including Colorado and Utah) across the nation have already granted community colleges the ability to provide these types of programs, and they are having a positive impact.

The need is here. Our subcommittee conducted a survey of area employers and prospective students. The vast majority of prospective students said they could benefit in their occupation from earning a bachelor’s degree, and nearly all of them said that a bachelor’s degree is either required or preferred for them to advance to high levels within their business/organization.

Yet a majority said there are NOT adequate opportunities to earn a bachelor’s degree relevant to their field/industry, citing local access and flexibility as the biggest barriers. The majority expressed interest in enrolling in a local applied bachelor’s degree program, and they believe completion of this program would help them either secure a better job or advance in their current business/organization.

There is a solution already in the works. Senate File 111, sponsored by Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, is moving through the Legislature. The bill would provide specific approval for the seven Wyoming community colleges to offer applied bachelor’s degrees.

This is necessary legislation and would pave the way for our Forward Greater Cheyenne effort to hit the ground running. I would encourage everyone in the community to reach out and encourage our legislators to support it.

Kim Withers is strategic coordinator for the #3 Forward Greater Cheyenne initiative to expand access to applied baccalaureate degrees. She also is the chief executive officer for Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union. Email her at drwithers@gmail.com and check out www.cheyennechamber.org/cheyenne-rising.