Kentucky workforce initiatives highlighted as a success story at national conference

This week, Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center Executive Director Beth Davisson and Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Terry Gill traveled to Washington D.C. to present on initiatives they are leading to improve Kentucky’s workforce needs at the U.S. Chamber’s national workforce conference, Talent Forward 2018.

“At Talent Forward, the call to action for employer leadership was clear, and in the state of Kentucky we are starting to see the results of a dedicated effort to put talent development at the center of economic growth strategies, both in the business community and at the state and local government levels. Through Talent Pipeline Management™ (TPM) and other employer-driven workforce initiatives, every state can follow their lead to take an active role in developing a workforce of the future that can meet the needs of our dynamic economy,” said Cheryl Oldham, U.S. Chamber Vice President of Education and Policy and U.S. Chamber Foundation Senior Vice President, Center for Education and Workforce.

As Kentucky businesses continue to struggle to find qualified employees for open positions, Talent Pipeline Management has emerged as a workforce and economic development strategy that aligns education and training programs with businesses’ workforce demands.

During his session, Secretary Gill said workforce development has become an arms race for talent because of the $17.2 billion in private capital investment since Gov. Matt Bevin took office. “On the one hand if you’re in economic development, you look like a hero. On the other hand, it puts more pressure on the (workforce) problem we already had,” Gill said.

Click here to watch Secretary Gill’s session, State Leadership Transforms Workforce Development. (starting at 4:44.30)

To answer the needs of business and support the state’s growing economy, the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center in partnership with Kentucky’s Workforce and Education Cabinet was selected by the U.S. Chamber Foundation to implement and lead TPM in the Commonwealth. Since then, the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center has expanded its staff, trained 40 local leaders across Kentucky to carry out the TPM initiative, and held numerous meetings to connect business and education initiatives.

Stay tuned on The Bottom Line for more education and workforce initiatives led by the Kentucky Chamber and Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center.