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The problem is compounded in Sussex County by lack of affordable housing, high land prices and transportation issues that keep new businesses from moving to Delaware.
Then consider Delaware’s changing demographics. More than 134,000 Delawareans are over the age of 65. The fastest growing population in the state is older than 70. Delaware has a higher percentage of seniors over 80 than any other state, including Florida.
Most of that senior influx is occurring in Sussex County, and with that will come economic and social challenges. The graying of Delmarva — and of the country — will require hundreds of thousands of jobs in medicine and health care. Already the country faces daunting shortages in elder care, physical therapy, nurses, nuclear technicians and pharmacists. Insuring all Americans won’t matter much if we don’t have the medical facilities and personnel to care for the aging population.
So how do we educate young people and give them skills that serve the future needs of Delaware?
One idea might be to transform Delaware Technical & Community College from a two-year commuter institution into a four-year university focusing on health and medicine.
A university with dormitories and affordable housing for teachers, administrators and graduates could be a blueprint for the state’s long-term economic growth while addressing a booming senior population and an educated work force.
Throughout the United States over the next 20 years, more than one million nurses will be needed, along with more than 100,000 pharmacists, nearly 250,000 physical therapists and approximately 153,000 nuclear technicians to fill the void as the baby boomer generation reaches retirement.
That’s a lot of jobs and a lot of educating. So how do we pay for a new university?
With the real estate market in shambles, the state’s share of transfer tax dollars has slowed. Income tax revenue is declining. Taxes are never popular. And that was before the recession.

delawareonline.com


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