"It's a combination of targeting higher paying jobs in these growth areas and fostering closer cooperation with higher education; a rising tide that lifts all boats"
About this Quote
John Hoeven sketches an economic playbook that marries industry targeting with talent and research pipelines. The first move is to pursue higher paying jobs in sectors already showing momentum, whether energy, technology, advanced manufacturing, or health care. The second is to knit those sectors to universities and colleges so that ideas, skills, and startups flow more easily into the market. The effect he promises with the familiar metaphor of a rising tide is broad-based prosperity rather than isolated gains.
The logic is pragmatic. Growth clusters thrive where firms can hire specialized workers, tap applied research, and commercialize innovations. Higher education becomes a platform for workforce development, internships, and tech transfer, while companies gain partners for problem-solving and product development. That collaboration not only fills immediate talent gaps but also seeds new firms and supply chains that multiply the impact of headline jobs across communities.
Hoeven’s background gives the line added context. As a North Dakota leader, he often promoted energy development, agriculture technology, and unmanned aviation alongside university research centers and training programs. The strategy sought to convert resource booms and emerging technologies into durable, high-wage ecosystems rather than short-lived surges.
Still, the metaphor assumes policy follow-through. A rising tide lifts all boats only if people have vessels sturdy enough to float. That means aligning curricula with industry needs, expanding apprenticeships, easing credit transfer, and supporting rural and low-income students so local workers can step into those better jobs. It also means diversifying within growth areas to weather commodity cycles and ensuring small businesses and main streets benefit from the spillovers.
The core insight remains sound: prosperity scales when targeted sector growth is paired with strong education partnerships. Done well, it builds not just more jobs, but better jobs, and ties regional identity to innovation and opportunity rather than luck and extraction.
The logic is pragmatic. Growth clusters thrive where firms can hire specialized workers, tap applied research, and commercialize innovations. Higher education becomes a platform for workforce development, internships, and tech transfer, while companies gain partners for problem-solving and product development. That collaboration not only fills immediate talent gaps but also seeds new firms and supply chains that multiply the impact of headline jobs across communities.
Hoeven’s background gives the line added context. As a North Dakota leader, he often promoted energy development, agriculture technology, and unmanned aviation alongside university research centers and training programs. The strategy sought to convert resource booms and emerging technologies into durable, high-wage ecosystems rather than short-lived surges.
Still, the metaphor assumes policy follow-through. A rising tide lifts all boats only if people have vessels sturdy enough to float. That means aligning curricula with industry needs, expanding apprenticeships, easing credit transfer, and supporting rural and low-income students so local workers can step into those better jobs. It also means diversifying within growth areas to weather commodity cycles and ensuring small businesses and main streets benefit from the spillovers.
The core insight remains sound: prosperity scales when targeted sector growth is paired with strong education partnerships. Done well, it builds not just more jobs, but better jobs, and ties regional identity to innovation and opportunity rather than luck and extraction.
Quote Details
| Topic | Career |
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