LCCC briefing flags job losses and youth out-migration; enrollments and programs also up
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Councilman Mark Rennie summarized a Laramie County Community College presentation: enrollments and graduation rates rose and new programs were added, but the college warned of regional economic weakness — income skew from Teton County, fewer jobs than a decade ago, low median wages, and young people leaving the state.
City Councilman Dr. Mark Rennie summarized a presentation from Laramie County Community College that mixed institutional gains with regional economic concerns. He said the college reported higher enrollments and graduation rates, new bachelor-degree options and apprenticeship programs, but that President Schafer highlighted worrying regional trends.
Rennie relayed the college's economic points: Wyoming's per-capita income ranks fourth nationally when including Teton County (about $82,000), but removing Teton drops the figure to about $65,000, below the national average. Rennie said Wyoming had the second-worst rate of job growth in the U.S. from 2012 to 2023 and that the state now has fewer jobs than it did 10 years ago. He added that median wages for available jobs rank low and the state is seeing out-migration of younger residents.
"When LCCC did a survey of what the younger generation...are looking for in a place to live, the first was, are jobs available?" Rennie said, paraphrasing the college. He listed cost of living and amenities as other top concerns and urged elected officials to consider those factors in decision-making.
Rennie did not provide underlying data tables or a direct quote from President Schafer in the update; the account is a council summary of the college briefing.