Posted by: These are truly difficult times for state and local governments. The recession has stretched budgets thin and states are cutting expenses everywhere they can. Everything is affected, from education to social programs, and more.
As a result, an increasing number of residents seek assistance from state-funded programs at a time when government is cutting support staffs. Large numbers of unemployed workers from shrinking industries clog the unemployment system. Regions must create new jobs to support emerging industries while finding new ways to compete within the global economy.
This is the perfect time to re-imagine and re-tool our regional workforces.
Regional stakeholders – employers, workforce and economic development agencies, government, and workers – must start by understanding where the employment needs are, which industries are growing, and what types of employee skills and abilities are required, now and into the future.
Using that information, the educational system will be better prepared to align its curriculum with workforce needs, contributing directly to more effective economic development, as well. Institutions can deliver to the workforce the skills and knowledge they need to perform the jobs that are available now, are emerging in selected sectors, or that the region is working to attract.
Further, employers will be matched with job seekers who are uniquely prepared to perform these evolving roles. This will help to create a more attractive and competitive regional economy.
By creating a sustainable regional dialogue, deploying and driving traffic to targeted social networking and other collaborative career resources, and using real-time information to track progress toward objectives, a region can begin to build unity of vision, deeper relationships, tighter collaboration among various interests, and a more cohesive approach to solving problems.
Taken together – data-driven insights, curriculum alignment, and new levels of collaboration – regions can begin to create the High-Performance Workforce. Just as importantly, the infrastructure that enables and supports this High-Performance workforce becomes another source of jobs and opportunities within the region, creating a positive cycle of economic growth.
How can your region’s stakeholders tune up their workforce?
Wed, Aug 5, 2009
State & Local