About 75,000 in County workforce could benefit from more education

According to data gathered and reported to the District Governing Board in November by Tom Hughes, Yavapai Community College Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research, Yavapai County is “overwhelmingly white,” with a population that is older on average than Arizona and the United States, and not as well educated in terms of attaining a Bachelor’s Degree as Arizona or the United States.

COUNTY OVERWHELMING WHITE

The overwhelming majority (80%) of Yavapai County residents are White, Non-Hispanic with a median age of 55. Hispanics make up the next largest group at 15% with a median age (28) that is 50% younger then the majority race.

COUNTY OLDER THAN  STATE AND NATION

Yavapai County’s share of the population age 65 and older is near twice that of the Arizona and the U.S. as a whole. The over 65 populations are consistent over the three sub-county areas. Less than half of the county’s population is workforce age (25-64). The west subcounty area has the largest proportion of traditional-age college students (18-24).

is “overwhelming white,” older than other counties in Arizona and the United States, and not as well educated in terms of attaining a Bachelor’s Degree as areas in Arizona or the United States.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT 

The environmental scan examined the educational attainment for the workforce population (25-64). Yavapai County’s bachelor’s degree  attainment rate is about 1.5 times lower than the U.S. level and 1.3 times lower than the Arizona level. However, the County’s rate of workers with some college or an associate degree outperforms both state and national percentages.

The College estimates that there are roughly 75,000 Yavapai County  residents who are in the workforce. Most could benefit from additional education.

You may view Tom Hughes short report to the Governing Board on the video below.