Education levels key in area’s bid to draw higher-paying careers

A lack of education has a very real impact on the lives of those searching for work, determining their wages and overall quality of life.

But it also has a much broader effect.

Low education levels in the Northern San Joaquin Valley have restricted the region’s ability to develop a diverse economy and attract higher-paying, higher-skilled jobs.

"Education is a fundamental driver of economic growth," said Sean Snaith, the director of the Business Forecasting Center at University of the Pacific in Stockton. "It is something that is probably one of the biggest problems in the region and a long-run impediment to growth."

By CHRISTINA SALERNO
BEE STAFF WRITER

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