Newsroom

By Kevin Williams, CEO, Spokane Workforce Council

Economic development and workforce development are often discussed as separate efforts. In reality, they are two sides of the same equation.

When a community works to attract new businesses, support existing employers, grow key industries and create new economic opportunities, we also have to ask a fundamental question: Do we have the talent to support that growth?

Likewise, workforce development cannot simply focus on preparing people for jobs that exist today. We need to understand where our economy is headed, what employers will need tomorrow and what opportunities we can create for people across our community.

That is why greater alignment between economic development and workforce development is so important.

At Spokane Workforce Council, we are working to strengthen that connection. We are currently facilitating collaborative conversations among the four Chambers of Commerce and the three Public Development Authorities (PDAs) in Spokane County. The goal is not to create another layer of meetings or another initiative. It is to identify where our organizations share goals, where we can align our efforts and where working together can produce better results for Spokane County.

There is significant opportunity in bringing these organizations together around common priorities:

· Understanding and responding to employer talent needs

· Strengthening regional talent pipelines

· Connecting businesses with workforce resources

· Supporting business growth and retention

· Aligning education and training with emerging industries

· Identifying barriers that prevent people from accessing career opportunities

· Advocating for investments that strengthen our region’s economic and workforce infrastructure

No single organization can accomplish all this alone.

Economic development organizations bring deep relationships with businesses, investors and communities. Workforce organizations bring expertise in talent development, career pathways and connecting people to opportunity. Education partners bring the training and credentials employers need. When these pieces are connected, we have a much greater opportunity to move from individual initiatives to a coordinated regional strategy.

Ultimately, this is about a shared goal: a Spokane County economy where businesses can find the talent they need to grow, and people can find meaningful pathways to opportunity.

We believe our role is not simply to operate workforce programs. It is to help connect the dots across the system by bringing employers, economic development, education, government and community partners together around the workforce needs that will shape our region’s future.

The conversations are just beginning. But if we can better align our collective efforts around the needs of our employers and the aspirations of our community, we can build a stronger workforce—and a stronger Spokane County economy.