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Business Engagement
is key to RCGA’s Workforce Enhancement Initiative
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Competitive
economies depend upon the ability to attract and retain a quality
workforce. To address the gap between the availability of qualified
workers and the workforce needs of companies in the region, the
RCGA has developed a strategic plan for workforce enhancement.
Above:
Terrance C.Z. Egger Vice Chairman Workforce Enhancement Publisher,
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The RCGA’s strategic plan provides for a “private sector voice”
in public policy discussions that can be articulated collectively
and delivered through the appropriate public policy venues. There
are also opportunities for individual employers to participate in
the process via administrative boards, councils, etc.
The strategic plan also provides for “private sector active engagement”
involving direct exchange of information through the workforce development
system, as well as active partnering to support programs such as
internships/externships, mentoring, curriculum development, etc.
There are currently a variety of opportunities for businesses to
become actively engaged via the RCGA. The RCGA is hosting a series
of industry-specific workforce “roundtables” to address industry-specific
needs and challenges and formalize input to the workforce development
system. Further more than a dozen businesses are represented on
the Regional Workforce Policy Group, convened by the RCGA and East-West
Gateway Coordinating Council, in which business, education, elected
officials and workforce system representatives address policy needs
for the region. And, the RCGA does provide access to a variety of
tools (WorkKeys, Pathfinders, etc.) that can be used to help an
employer strategically manage the human resource function, both
related to new hires and continuing education/training of existing
employees.
Above:
Missouri Governor Robert Holden takes questions from
the St. Louis news media about StLouisAtWork.com and the importance
of workforce development following the StLouisAtWork.com launch
luncheon Feb. 13, 2001 at America’s Center.
Last year’s accomplishments include:
- Development
and approval of the RCGA Workforce Enhancement Strategic
Plan.
- Active
participation and leadership of the Regional Workforce
Policy Group, in partnership with East-West Gateway Coordinating
Council and the states of Missouri and Illinois, in which
policy recommendations have been made related to programs
in both Information Technology and Advanced Manufacturing
sectors.
- Career
path and skill set identification and validation for health
care and information technology sectors via industry roundtables
and collaboration with the CIO Forum in conjunction with
the Technology Gateway Alliance
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Goals for
the coming year include:
- Increased
participation of member companies in RCGA’s workforce
roundtables.
- Increased
participation of member companies in the Regional Workforce
Policy Group.
- Continued
promotion of assessment/job matching tools for both business
and education.
- Increased
incidence of individual employer participation business/education
collaborations.
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