Workforce & Education

Lawrence College & Career Center

The Lawrence College and Career Center, build and operated by Lawrence Public Schools, prepares students for their future through hands-on learning experiences in an innovative, engaging environment. With direct engagement with business and industry leaders, students will have access to technology and curriculum that is relevant and useful. Students can earn college credit while still in high school, with an opportunity for free tuition, giving students a head start on their future. All courses at the Lawrence College and Career Center prepare students for post-secondary enrollment and a high wage, high demand career.

In March 2015, the EDC requested a Labor Force Analysis from the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University. The study looked at the size, participation, and education of our local workforce.

A few of the highlights include:

SIZE
-Between a 15 to 30 minute drive from downtown Lawrence, the labor force grows 125 percent, from about 80,000 workers to over 180,000.
-If you drive between 30 and 45 minutes from downtown Lawrence, the labor force grows an additional 365 percent, totaling about 840,000 workers. Both Topeka and Kansas City metropolitan areas are included in this radius.

PARTICIPATION
-Douglas County has a labor force participation rate of 71 percent, above national average rates of 64 percent.
-The unemployed segment of the population is generally young, under 35 years old.

EDUCATION
-When it comes to the population over the age of 25, 94 percent have high school diplomas or equivalent.
-Over 50 percent of the population has at least a Bachelor’s Degree.

To see the entire Labor Force Analysis, click here.