Time to thrive, Idaho

Start. Grow. Thrive.

Sound like spring? It is. But in Idaho, the goal is eternal spring.

The three words introducing this editorial comprise an important rallying cry of the Idaho Technology Council in its efforts to help tech companies start, grow and thrive. Before you head to the Sports pages or Comics because you think this piece doesn’t apply to you, we ask that you please stick with it. What the Idaho Technology Council is doing today will have a long-term and dramatic impact on the state’s economy. Yes, that means more money for the state to improve education, roads and so on, but to all of us, it also means creating the kind of jobs our kids and grandkids will want; jobs that will pay well enough that they can enjoy a high standard of living; jobs that will challenge them and help them grow as individuals and as citizens.

We see ITC and IBE — Idaho Business for Education — walking parallel paths. Both nonprofits want the same thing: A robust, well-trained workforce to bolster existing Idaho businesses and continually improve an environment that attracts other good businesses and bright people to our great state. The Press met recently with representatives of both groups, and you’ll read more about their challenges and successes in the days ahead.

For now, your awareness of what’s happening and what needs to happen is key. While Idaho boasts the strongest job growth in the nation, a point of tremendous pride and a beautiful feather in Idaho’s cap, we all know that we need more jobs at the highest levels of the scale. Education is hopping on board, with some outstanding curricula being embraced from elementary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math classes all the way to Boise State’s strong computer science program to University of Idaho’s impressive advances in the area of cybersecurity.

Progress like this doesn’t happen by accident. Gov. Butch Otter has charted a clear course for investing in the kind of education that will reap tremendous benefits. Jay Larsen and Rod Gramer, who head up ITC and IBE, respectively, lauded three North Idaho legislators as being integral to the education-workforce connection: Rep. Luke Malek and Senators Bob Nonini and Shawn Keough. What the governor’s office and legislative leaders like these have done, particularly the past two sessions, is provide critically needed funding with strong reporting and accountability components included. They’re not throwing money at problems; they’re investing strategically for the greatest dividends.

We encourage North Idaho business leaders and decision-makers to visit ITC (idahotechcouncil.org) and IBE (idahobe.org) to see how they can get involved for the betterment of all Idahoans. Good days are here. Better days await.