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- In Minnesota,
in an unprecedented collaboration,
the Department of Education,
the Office of Higher Education,
and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
have come together to reinvent and invigorate
the educational experience for our students.
There was a time
when a person with a high school diploma
could look forward to a decent-paying job
and a four-year degree was a ticket to prosperity.
Today the outlook for young people
is considerably more complex
and requires that we rethink
what training and education is necessary
for getting a good job and earning a living.
By the year 2020,
74% of all jobs in Minnesota
will require some form of education beyond high school.
Half of these jobs will require a bachelor's degree or beyond,
and half will require a certification, diploma,
or associate's degree.
- The well-paying jobs in Minnesota,
the jobs needed to sustain families
and to lift people out of poverty
and promote social mobility,
will all require a postsecondary education.
The aging population of the state
will make it harder for us to maintain
a globally competitive workforce.
If we leave anyone behind,
we will not be able to compete and maintain
economically viable communities.
It's important to recognize what we mean
when we say "postsecondary."
It's not just the four-year college degree.
We're talking about numerous options
beyond high school,
from job-based internships,
one- or two-year certifications,
two-year degree programs that prepare students
for high-tech, high-demand, high-wage jobs,
as well as the baccalaureate degree.
- 40% of our high school graduates
who enroll in a public, college, or university
in Minnesota
need a remedial course
in reading, writing, and most often in math.
These courses are prerequisites to college-level courses.
What this means is that it lengthens the time
it takes to complete a degree,
and it increases the cost of that degree.
Let's work together to figure out
how to better identify students earlier
so we ensure that every single student
who graduates high school
is on track and prepared for college.
- It's time to transform the high school experience.
We need to make the transition
from high school to postsecondary seamless.
Students must be ready for academic programs
that align with their passions
and prepare them for the high demand,
well-paying jobs that businesses are anxious to fill.
Over the next 30 years,
Minnesota will continue to grow increasingly diverse,
and that is a great thing.
We have to ensure that all Minnesotans,
regardless of personal background
or financial means,
have an opportunity to go on to postsecondary education
to prepare themselves for the jobs of the future.
- To meet Minnesota's growing workforce needs,
we must work together in new ways.
We have to redesign our educational system
to collaborate and form partnerships
that leverage resources and expertise
to better serve students and communities
across Minnesota.
- And that is exactly what we are doing.
Over the course of the next year and beyond,
our school districts across the state of Minnesota
will be partnering with the local colleges,
universities, and businesses
to envision and provide new pathways
to postsecondary education.
Let's join together
to give our young people the opportunities and tools
to make our community stronger.
- Every young person in Minnesota
should have an opportunity for a career
and educational success
in their future.
The fact is, we have work to do
to make that ideal a reality
for each and every student in Minnesota.
- We need you to be part of the conversation.
Join us in this very important work.
To learn more about
the Pathways to Postsecondary initiative,
visit us online at education.state.mn.us.
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