MetroFuture would help to stop the “brain drain” of recent graduates and young professionals. Increased housing choices and improved quality of life would retain 1,900 working age (25 – 65) adults every year, who would otherwise have moved out of state, adding 24,000 educated workers to the labor force by 2030.

More significantly, MetroFuture would maximize the potential of existing residents and workers. The plan calls for expansion of community colleges and advanced job training programs to increase the number of workers with an associate degree or advanced training by 4,500 each year, as compared to what would occur if Current Trends continue. Expansion of public higher education would increase the number of bachelors degrees and graduate degrees by 4,500 over what would occur if Current Trends continue. As a result of better education and slower outmigration, the number of working age (25 0 65) 2- or 4-year college graduates will grow by 11% from 2000 – 2030. More graduates, especially those from community colleges, will have the specific skills demanded by the region’s economy. Firms looking for well-educated workers would find a strong supply, and only 2% of the region’s high-skill jobs would need to be filled by someone commuting into the region from elsewhere
in Massachusetts or neighboring states.

If Current Trends continue, the region will face a major shortage of skilled workers. 690,000 college graduates now in the labor force will move into retirement age over the coming decades. The working age population (25 – 65) will increase by only 3%, and fewer of them would have post-secondary education. The number of working age adults with a 2- or 4-year college degree would decline from 43% to 34%. As a result, the region would have a shortage of 158,000 workers with a 2- or 4-year college degree, and of 60,000 workers with a graduate degree. Firms looking for high-skilled workers would have to pay them more, would lose workers more often, and might choose to relocate elsewhere. Even if workers commuting in from outside Metro Boston could fill the shortage, this in-commuting would put a significant strain on the region’s transportation system, especially highways.

Objectives:

• 53% of working age adults will have at least a 2- or 4-year college degree (up from 43% today).
• There will be at least 1.32 million workers in the labor force with at least a 2- or 4-year college degree, up 11% from year 2000.
• There will be at least 455,000 workers in the labor force with a graduate degree, up 11% from year 2000.
• The net outmigration rate for adults age 30 – 55 will be no more than 1.6% (was 2.7% from 1990 – 2000).