Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Public Higher Education’S Role In Shaping A Workforce In Rhode Island: The Case Of Rhode Island College, Francis J. Leazes Jr., Mikaila M. L. Arthur

Faculty Publications

Skilled human capital plays a major role in sparking innovation, enhancing productivity, raising incomes, and driving economic growth. State prosperity depends heavily on attracting well-educated workers because these workers enjoy significantly higher per-capita incomes and perform well on other economic measures. The knowledge-based economy places a higher premium on an education that challenges those entering the workplace to be able to think beyond the immediate job they will seek. If the most desirable high-value technical businesses cannot find enough skilled workers in Rhode Island, they will neither come to the state or stay in it. Furthermore, in today’s economy, we …