BRATTLEBORO — The Regional Development Corporations of Vermont, in partnership with the Department of Labor and the Vermont State Workforce Development Board, has announced the dates for 12 regional workforce development summits, which they will host this fall to support state efforts to increase the size and skill of Vermont's workforce.
The first one will take place in Brattleboro, at World Learning/SIT Graduate Institute, on Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ongoing demographic changes have produced a consistent decline in the number of Vermonters in the workforce, creating challenges for employers and for the economy as a whole. As a result, Gov. Phil Scott and his administration say they are prioritizing workforce development.
The summits will provide actionable solutions for employers and better awareness and partnerships among the regional statewide service providers.
In a news release, Janette Bombardier, P.E., Chief Technology Officer for Chroma Technology Corp., underscored the value of participating in these events.
“As a member of the State Workforce Investment Board, and part of the growing technology and manufacturing community of Windham County, this initiative is very important to our success. Our ability to develop additional solutions to attract key talent to the region and continue to develop the skills of our existing workforce is a critical imperative to growing our business.”
Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation is sponsoring the Windham Regional Summit. Attendees will include local employers from diverse sectors, and the network of providers and trainers who locate, train, and equip workers to be successful.
Organizers of the summit hope they will help regional partners build stronger systems and the State Workforce Development Board prepare its 2020 Workforce Strategy.
The morning session will be employer-focused, providing an important opportunity for local businesses and organizations to focus on workforce challenges specific to this region and to communicate Windham County's talent needs directly to representatives from local and state agencies.
Service providers will meet in the afternoon focusing on developing actionable recommendations based on best-practices for retaining, growing, and improves the skills of the workforce.
Along with BDCC Executive Director Adam Grinold, facilitators will be Jeffrey Lewis, formerly with the Vermont Futures Project, and Erika Hoffman-Kiess, back in Vermont after years of international economic development work.