Organizational example:
North Central Indiana Workforce Investment Board aka Workforce Development Strategies, Inc.
Name |
North Central Indiana Workforce Investment Board/ Workforce Development Strategies, Inc. (WDSI) |
Purpose of Program |
To develop and coordinate regional economic development strategies. |
Program Description |
The WDSI (the non-profit organization that evolved from the Workforce Investment Board) created its own Economic Development Committee whose members included the economic development directors of the six counties in and around Indianapolis. This committee developed a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) funded in part by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. This resulted in the creation of an Economic Development District (EDD). This has allowed the WDSI to oversee multiple funding streams and to coordinate the programs associated with that funding. The WDSI can then explore more creative connections between workforce and economic development ( Troppe & Toft, 2004). For example, the EDC and the WDSI pooled resources to purchase a business retention software system that will track business trends for employers in the area. This database delivers a comprehensive analysis of company-specific and aggregate industry metrics that will enable workforce development and economic development professionals to identify and provide services for a wide range of employers including those experiencing layoffs as well as growth. Other WDSI initiatives include the Healthcare Alliance which addresses the industry’s regional workforce development needs, and the Mature Worker Taskforce – the 60 Plus Success Project which develops recommendations for transition strategies for mature workers as well as employer strategies for how to deal with issues arising from their mature workers preparing for retirement. |
Progress |
WDSI recently released their 2005 update of the Self-Sufficiency Guide for North Central Indiana: A Guide for Policy Makers and Practitioners. |
Contact Information |
Workforce Development Strategies, Inc. |
From Troppe & Toft, 2004 and Workforce Development Strategies, Inc., 2005.