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Fall 2010 » Featured Articles

Creating a regional workforce strategy

By Gary Honnert  

A sustainable regional workforce strategy is the next critical step

Creating a regional workforce strategy

In 2007, the Regional Workforce Transformation Consortium (RWTC) – a public-private partnership focused on assessing current and future employer workforce demand, as it compared to the skills inventory being produced through existing education and training channels – was created to collaborate on regional workforce initiatives. This initial work provided a strong, data-driven foundation for determining how to best invest and leverage regional resources and plan for strategic growth areas.

 To drive ongoing economic development, the creation of a comprehensive and sustainable regional workforce strategy, with the accompanying action plans to support it, is the next critical step for our area.

 Collaboration is key

The Dayton region has received a $250,000 Department of Labor Regional Innovation Grant (RIG). This grant, awarded to the Montgomery County Department of Job & Family Services, provides the formalized mechanism necessary to create a comprehensive regional workforce strategy. The RIG work will focus on a 16-county region, serving to identify the greatest workforce needs and opportunities in growth, core and infrastructure sectors. The outcome will be a defined regional workforce strategy that will guide further investment in the current and future workforce needs of employers.

 RIG project teams comprise representatives from the Center for Urban and Public Affairs at Wright State University, daytaOhio, Montgomery County, Sinclair Community College, Workforce Invest Boards, and members of business and labor organizations.

 Achieving economic-development success

An ongoing goal of the regional workforce strategy is to work on activities in support of economic-development success. Recent achievements include the newly created Composites Technician training and Defense Acquisition Academy programs. Both of these initiatives involved regional, public and private partnerships.

 Regional Innovation Grant team representatives:

  • daytaOhio
  • Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Dayton Development Coalition
  • Minority Economic Development Council
  • Montgomery County
  • Ohio Department of Development
  • Ohio Skills Bank
  • Sinclair Community College
  • Wright State University

 

By Gary Honnert

Gary Honnert is marketing communications manager of Workforce Development & Corporate Services. He has more than 35 years’ experience in broadcasting, public relations and nonprofit community relations.

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