Bemoaning “the historical culture that does not value education,” a report on educational levels among residents near the North Carolina Research Campus finds that there aren’t enough people with sufficient degrees to work in the biotech jobs the Campus is supposed to create and justify the local TIF subsidies and guaranteed state-financed leases for the project, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Just as state and local leaders did not trust businesses to act on their own to set up shop in Kannapolis, the report indicates that they do not trust people in the area to improve their skills to find work on campus and do not want people outside the area with the needed higher skills to move to the area. The report authors call for more spending on education and job training, but find that less than one-fourth of former Pillowtex workers went back to complete a diploma or associates degree from Rowan Cabarrus Community College.
BONUS: The report forecasts jobs available in 2032, but looks at educational attainment among adults 25 and older in 2006, the youngest of whom would be 51 in 2032.
