Metro Austin Direct-to-College Enrollment Rate Continues to Rise

Great news for Austin:  The percentage of students enrolling in post-secondary education rose 15 percent for the Class of 2008, reaching 62 percent. 

In recent years, the Austin Chamber of Commerce, Business and Education Communities have focused their attention on increasing this percentage and this report, (Dec 2009) shows that much progress has been made. Our educated workforce is a primary reason why relocating companies select Austin over other cities. However, too much of that educated workforce is imported instead of home-grown. Cultivating more college-bound Austin graduates is great news for Austin’s continued future growth and success.

From the Chamber’s website: “Metro Austin has one of the best educated talent bases in the world. More than two-thirds of our population has some level of college education. Approximately 40% has at least a bachelor’s degree. Metro Austin, however, imports much of this skilled labor through enrollment at UT-Austin or through employment at many of our high-technology companies.”

For more information, see:

Chamber on Education: http://www.austin-chamber.org/TheChamber/AboutTheChamber/edu_initiatives.html