Androscoggin County lags behind the state average of working-age adults with degrees.

The citizens of Androscoggin County need to embrace a bold effort to dramatically increase the number of college-educated citizens in the near future. Nothing less than our economic future depends on it.

The unfortunate fact is that only 16 percent of working-age adults in Androscoggin County have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 25 percent in Maine and 34 percent in New England. And just 24 percent have at least an associate degree (33 percent in Maine and 42 percent in New England).

Why do these figures matter? They mean our county is not as competitive as others in one crucial area: education and training. In a world increasingly dependent on a knowledge-based work force, high-tech industries and service-based enterprises set up businesses where they can count on recruiting and retaining qualified employees. What’s more, if our residents want to make good wages, they must be able to compete with others who have the credentials to land the jobs that the world demands.

So over the past 18 months, leaders from local businesses, service agencies and secondary and higher education have met monthly under the banner of “College for ME-Androscoggin” to map out a plan to double the number of college graduates in Androscoggin County within the next 10 years – an increase of about 14,000 people.

Ambitious as it sounds, this goal would put Androscoggin County only on par with the state, and still lag behind New England averages. To get there, the College for ME-Androscoggin Steering Committee has fashioned a strategic plan that involves its partners in marketing strategies, business incentive programs, career counseling services, preparation programs, remedial programs, information services, research and data analysis, support services and more.

The formal kickoff for the College for ME-Androscoggin campaign will take place on Dec. 8, with the first-ever Higher Education Awards Luncheon at Bates College. The theme this year is “The Most Inspiring People You’ve Never Heard,” highlighting the stories of several students in local colleges who have overcome daunting challenges to reach their higher education goals. We will also tout regional best practices by student advocates and the corporate sector, and unveil our “Paths to Higher Education” poster.

While the College for ME-Androscoggin campaign targets both traditional K-12 students (college readiness and “sampling,” as in early college programs) and nontraditional students, the first program will focus on the challenges of completing college.

You, the residents of Androscoggin County, can help in many ways:

• Encourage friends and loved ones to participate in the College for ME-Androscoggin challenge to attain higher education, and look into what the “Colleges of the Androscoggin” have to offer. Lead them by the hand, if you must, to apply to college.

• Ask your employers if they have an incentive program to pursue college degrees; if they don’t, ask them to create one.

• Encourage legislators to think creatively about ways to support and encourage college attainment.

• Urge students to participate in programs such as “Early College” (high school students taking college courses while still in high school), the Adult Education College Transition Program, or services at the Maine Department of Labor’s Career Center.

• Contribute to scholarship programs that support both traditional and nontraditional college students.

• Volunteer to be a part of the College for ME-Androscoggin effort.

The Colleges of the Androscoggin (Andover, Bates, Central Maine Community College and the Lewiston/Auburn Campus of the University of Southern Maine) are ready with services and programs that meet a multitude of needs and career options. But residents may also want to pursue accredited on-line degree programs or attend colleges outside the county while continuing to live and work in Androscoggin.

What really matters are raising our aspirations, creating a more competitive workforce, attracting businesses, contributing to the cultural fabric of the community, and improving the lives of Androscoggin citizens.

Chip Morrison is president of the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce. Zark VanZandt is dean at the Lewiston-Auburn campus of the University of Southern Maine.