Massachusetts will be the recipient of financial and technical help to build “data-driven approaches” to linking residents to jobs in growing industries, thanks to a partnership between the National Governors Association and the Strada Education Network.

The Bay State was one of six selected — along with Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Wyoming — to receive an initial grant of $100,000 and support to “refine their data-driven approaches to anticipating and meeting future workforce needs” with evidence-based solutions tailored to Massachusetts.
The state will also gain access to a cache of “state-specific, proprietary data” from the Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey.

The NGA said that 42 states have ambitious postsecondary attainment goals but pointed to national data that shows fewer than half of adults ages 25 to 64 have earned a credential beyond high school.

“Consumer insights data has reshaped and innovated some of our nation’s biggest industries. With the right sets of data — and thought partnership to apply it — we believe consumer insights can have the same effect for the connections among education, training and work in state policy,” Strada Executive Vice President for National Engagement and Philanthropy Carol D’Amico said. “We look forward to partnering with these innovative states to help millions of people at risk of getting left behind without the benefit of education and training designed to move them up the career and wage ladder.”

The 18-month project will officially kick off Sep.t 18 with a meeting in St. Louis between the NGA, Strada and representatives from each state.