Vision Project to boost state colleges

BOSTON (WWLP) - Massachusetts is a national leader in education, but state officials say that mantle depends on a strong public system.

The Commonwealth leads the nation with 53% of the workforce carrying a college degree, but by 2018, education leaders predict that 68% of Massachusetts jobs will require a college degree.

With a population that is growing slower than the rest of the country, state Higher Education Commissioner Richard Freeland told the Legislature's Job Creation Commission that Massachusetts needs to step up efforts to keep its workforce strong. Through his department's "Vision Project," he aims to unify community colleges, state universities, and public universities with a common goal: To produce the best educated workforce and make Massachusetts the leader in national research that drives economic development.

“Pulling together all parts of public higher education is a major goal of the Vision Project, because while there are many advantages to the kind of decentralization we have, it's also important to come together around critically important statewide goals and to coordinate our efforts,” Freeland said.

The fiscal year 2012 budget includes $2.5 million toward the Vision Project.

Holyoke, Greenfield, Berkshire, and Springfield Technical Colleges have each received funding through the Vision Project to help students with math and professional development skills.