FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside Indiana Business): Governor Eric Holcomb has officially named northeast Indiana the first 21st Century Talent Region.

The program encourages communities to work with businesses, schools and workforce organizations to enact a plan to boost educational attainment, income, and population in a region. Specific goals include hitting a population of one million, increasing post-secondary education and credential attainment to more than 60 percent and raising per capita personal income to at least 90 percent of the national average.

Holcomb made the announcement Thursday with Indiana Secretary of Career Connections and Talent Blair Milo and Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Elaine Bedel. The IEDC and Office of Career Connections are also working with CivicLab on the 21st Century Talent Region initiative. The organizations will partner with regional leaders to develop priorities and projects to boost quality of place, strengthen workforce development and attract high-demand, high-wage jobs.

“Regional and local collaboration is key for Indiana communities when it comes to attracting, developing and connecting talent,” said Milo in a news release. “Northeast Indiana is a leader in cultivating 21stCentury Talent by seamlessly connecting community team members together to grow the population, increase educational attainment and raising household income.”

Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership Vice President of Regional Initiatives Ryan Twiss says the designation will help align efforts, metrics, and goals within the 11-county region. He says the collaboration “is critical to our region’s success in the global war for talent and jobs.”