WATERVILLE, MAINE, March 2018 — The New England Board of Higher Education Commission on Higher Education & Employability recently released a major report with recommendations to increase the career readiness of graduates of New England colleges and universities and improve their transitions to work.
Thomas College President Laurie Lachance was a part of the 50-member Commission, that invested 11 months in public meetings and working group sessions exploring New England employers’ concerns about a lack of qualified, skilled workers, particularly in rapidly changing, technology-intensive and growth-oriented industries. The challenge is exacerbated by a decline in the traditional working-age population in the New England states.
According to the findings, the vast majority of jobs in the region’s four fastest-growing fields will require a post-secondary degree by 2020, including 60 percent of healthcare support jobs, 93 percent of healthcare professional and technical jobs, 97 percent of STEAM (science, technology, engineering and math) jobs, and fully 100 percent of social science jobs.
Lachance was critical to this Commission due to her 29 years of experience in analyzing and forecasting the state of Maine’s economy. Thomas College’s Guaranteed Job Program and Career Services was also lauded in the report as an extraordinary example of what colleges and universities should have in order to help contribute well-equipped graduates into the workforce.
“It was an absolute honor to serve with New England’s business, political, and higher education visionaries to create and action plan for catalyzing the growth and prosperity or the region,” said Thomas College President Laurie Lachance.
In this report, “Learning for Life and Work,” the Commission offers recommendations on going forward to help the employability of our people in New England: including increasing literary, problem solving, and communication skills, a career plan during college and university, a paid or credit-earning learning experience, and overall helping our graduates succeed.
The report can be read online.
About NEBHE: Founded in 1955 by six visionary New England governors, NEBHE brings together leaders of education, higher education, government, business and labor to forge partnerships and advance ideas that enhance the economy and quality of life in the six-state region and around the world. NEBHE works to increase the education opportunities for New England residents and to promote collaboration among the region’s colleges and universities to expand access, success, affordability and the economic impact of higher education.
About Thomas College: Founded in 1894, Thomas College is at the forefront of affordability, access to college education, and providing students with a good return on investment. The private, career-oriented college is committed to preparing its undergraduates for careers in all forms of business, technology, criminal justice, psychology, and education. On average, 94 percent of Thomas graduates are employed within 90 days of graduation. The college is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and awards a Master of Business Administration (with concentrations in Accounting, Health Care Management, Human Resources, and Project Management); a Master of Science in Education, Educational Leadership, and Literacy Education; a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Arts; an Associate in Science, and an Associate in Arts. For more information, visit wwwold.thomas.edu.
For additional information, contact MacKenzie Riley at rileym@thomas.edu or 207.859.1313.