Linking Economic Development and Workforce Development

Has your area developed an effective working linkage between economic development and workforce development? It's essential to your economic and job development success. Lots of areas have been working to strengthen this linkage.

While Workforce Investment Act (WIA) activities build one useful bridge, others are usually needed to ensure that labor market resources are in harmony with future industry and business growth trends. Tulare County, CA is working to strengthen this linkage in its work with clusters and in other areas. The EDC of Tulare County is playing an important role in ensure that the Tulare County WIB programs meet future business growth needs.

Many industry clusters have forged the link between the two. Michigan has done an effective job of addressing the workforce development needs of its clusters, especially in its life sciences cluster. Pittsburgh has dealt with workforce issues as they relate to clusters as well.

In the knowledge economy, workforce issues become exponentially more important. They will demand more of your attention in the future