Website Launched along with 2007 Report on the Future of the South

Building on past reports calling for higher levels of educational achievement in the South, the 2007 Southern Growth Polices Board Report outlines a three-pronged strategy to aid the southern region in attaining its goal of building a globally competitive workforce. The annual Report on the Future of the South, released earlier this month, labels its new approach "Convene-Connect-Commit," addressing the process in detail.



The report condenses information from many sources to illustrate the status of the Southern workforce. The authors reveal that, in 1980, 16 percent of the nation’s population 25 years and older had attained a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 14 percent in the South. However, in 2000, these numbers had risen to 24 percent for the nation and 20 percent for the South. While the percentage of degree attainment is rising, the gap is widening.



Concurrently launched with the report was http://www.enterprisesouth.biz/, an Internet portal to promote and document the development of the southern economy and workforce. The site contains selected education statistics and achievements for the Southern Growth Policy Board’s 14 members, which includes 13 states and Puerto Rico. Also incorporated into the site is a link to the Southern Growth Idea Bank, a database of best development practices from around the South. The database is searchable by the type of program, the geographic scope of the program, and the state in which the program is located.



The report can be ordered for $20 at http://www.enterprisesouth.biz/report.html. The Idea Bank database can be accessed at http://www.southernideabank.org/.



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