Saturday, August 23, 2003
In developing a strategy for upgrading workforce skills, we confront a harsh reality: 80% of our workforce for the year 2010 is already in the workforce.
How do we promote more aggressive investments by existing companies to imprive the skills of their workforce?
Michigan's approach has been to establish seventeen technical education centers across the state. Business Facilities magazine gave the Michigan Economic Development Corp. an award last year for using these technology centers to attract more workers to technical fields. Across the state, these centers have provided service to more than 1,000 employers and 25,000 trainees.
We hear a lot of talk about "lifetime learning", but few states have launched practical initiatives to build and support the facilities that both companies and unemployed workers need.
Visit the web site for the Michigan Technical Education Centers. Go.
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site:
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
Michigan's network of technical education centers
