West Central Wisconsin Regional Development Coalition

1. West Central WisconsinRegional Development Coalition

2. Key Regional Facts • Nine County Region with 450,000 people • Wisconsin’s fastest growing Workforce Area-fastest growing county – St. Croix • Immediately adjacent to and partially located in Twin Cities Metro Area • Diverse Economic Structure – High Tech Manufacturing, Healthcare, Education, Agri-Business

3. Key Elements of Regional Development Coalition • Recognizes the interrelationship of Community, Economic, Educational and Workforce Development • Local Elected Officials as sanctioning, appointing and oversight authority • Workforce Development Board- Convener • Industry Cluster/Sector Based Model

4. Key Elements of Regional Development Coalition • Emphasizes Collaboration of Existing Entities and more efficient use of existing resources • Collaboration on additional resource acquisition • Integration of strategic planning efforts • Staffed through collaboration of existing entities – efforts supplemented by GROW and other resources

5. Key Role of Local Government • Local Government is already the appointing or oversight body of many of the collaborative partners • Endorsement of Local Government provides the “legitimacy” to assure participation • Local Government oversight assures accountability • Provides Local Government with opportunity to share and coordinate resources for greater efficiencies

6. Cluster/Sector Based Industry Councils

7. Industry Councils • Use existing entities where available • Develop new as needed • Provide Coalition Support • Roles • Identify Issues/Needs • Develop strategies and solutions • Inform members of resources and advocate use • Foster collaborative efforts within sector

8. Workforce Issues

9. Regional Workforce Development Partners

10. Role of Business Partners • Advise on workforce demand • Advise on workforce skill requirements • Provide customer feedback on Job Center and other workforce development services • Provide business guidance for strategic planning • Provide leadership for business cluster activities

11. Education Issues

12. Regional Education Partners

13. Role of Business Partners • Advise Education System on current and future job demand and employment/career opportunities for students • Identify skill needs • Advise on relevance of curriculum • Provide partnership opportunities for students and faculty • Advocate for education that meets business needs

14. Economic Development Issues

15. Regional Economic Development Partners

16. Role of Business Partners • Advise Economic Development System on business/employment retention, expansion and development needs • Provide Information to educate community on importance of the business/industry to the economic health of the community • Identify “cluster” relationships that could lead to future development potential

17. Community Development Issues

18. Regional Community Development Partners

19. Role of Business Partners • Advise Community Development System on current and future quality of life and community infrastructure issues that effect business/employment retention/expansion • Inform community of importance of business/sector to economic health of community • Advocate on community issues that relate to business/sector health • Contribute to community development efforts

20. Key Role of Chambers • Recruit members for Industry Council participation • Promote participation and resource utilization among members • Lend “legitimacy” within the business sector • Benefit by greater access to resources to assist in business development and retention

21. Regional CoalitionSteering Committee

22. Achievements/Directions • Formed alliance with PK-16 Consortium (11/03) • Obtained endorsement of Elected Officials and Workforce Board (9/04) • Convened Economic Development Regional Partnership dialogue to inform and obtain endorsement (6/05) • Convene Community Development Regional Partnership Dialogue to promote and obtain endorsement (by 6/06) • Established alliance with Manufacturing Sector Group – Manufacturing Works/Gold Collar Careers Manufacturing Sector Group identifies career awareness is critical issue • Manufacturing Works Sector Group generates $30,000 to promote Manufacturing careers-GROW objective • Manufacturing Group assists in Regional Career Fair

23. Achievements/Directions • Education Consortium obtains $44,000 funding to develop data-base of UW Business Assistance resources – GROW objective • Coalition identifies Workforce Talent Pool Survey as critical need – All counties agree to participate for regional and local survey • Workforce Survey designed, implemented and preliminary report completed • Coalition identifies workforce retention/attraction as critical issue-Contract with Rebecca Ryan for methodology to conduct Annual Asset forums in each county (by 7/30/06) • Contract with EMSI to provide Twin Cities and West Central Regional Sector Gap analysis • Integration of Coalition and Regional Planning, Workforce, Education, Economic and Community Development efforts into Annual Status of the Region Report and Comprehensive Strategic Plan • Conduct Annual Synergy Conference – celebrate successes, recognize best practices, educate on issues, revise/develop benchmarks/goals for upcoming year – mobilize community efforts around agreed upon goals • Obtained second round of GROW funding to assist with continued efforts

24. Next Steps-GROW II • Continue collaborative strategic planning • Support Industry Cluster Groups with career pathway information • Continue analysis of West Central and Twin Cities regional economic relationship • Identify potential entrepreneurial and business expansion areas based on Twin Cities proximity • Assist with regional marketing information