In order to advance postsecondary education for rural communities, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) is partnering with The Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges (ARRC) and HCM Strategists to establish a Rural Talent Development and Attraction Lab in five states over four years.
ARRC was awarded a $7,245,600 grant from Ascendium Education Group to help five state higher education agencies develop and adopt a statewide plan for rural talent development. Plans will include the implementation of at least four middle-skill credential pathways targeted to their respective state’s rural workforce. The development of rural pathways will be informed by engaging rural communities and stakeholders, intensive expert advising, and in-person professional development for state teams.
Goals
The goal of the Rural Talent Lab is to create postsecondary opportunities that are transparent, accessible, connected to local employment, and are as close to free as possible for rural learners. The Rural Talent Lab will seek to help states equip students and grow their economy by creating deliberate pathways between programs of study and workforce needs.
Learn more about this project from ARRC.
For questions about this project from SHEEO, contact John Lane, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Equity Initiatives, at jlane@sheeo.org.