Helping Communities Shine

Whether researching and implementing ways to shape a community's economic development plan or partnering to create ways to put people to work, CREC connects researchers and policymakers with:

     • Data training
     • Custom portfolios that aid regional competitiveness

Project Profile

APEX – Workforce Skills Assessment and Plan

APEX
Start Date: Aug 2018 — End Date: Apr 2019

The CREC/IDM Project Team will complete a six-step process that results in the development of a Workforce Assessment Report and Workforce Strategies applicable to both the urban core and rural areas of the 10-county region. The process will encompass a dual focus to address challenges associated with the region’s (1) general talent availability and (2) targeted skills gaps. The goal of the workforce analysis is to identify both sets of challenges in order to develop strategies that meet the respective needs. Primary and secondary research will form the basis for developing a broad-based talent development plan that focuses on all companies and all talent, and strategies designed to address industry-specific talent needs and shortages that are critical barriers to economic development.

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About the Client

APEX

APEX is a private sector-led business development engine established to promote sustainable growth in the APEX region. APEX investor-members represent many of the largest and most influential organizations in the region with a vested interest in business attraction, expansion and retention. APEX business and economic development efforts focus on areas including aviation, technology, manufacturing, professional […]

Project Updates

CREC Meets with Leaders in Duluth for Talent Forecast Meeting
March 5, 2019

CREC’s Ken Poole and Jaleel Reed worked with the University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision Making (IDM) to facilitate a meeting of the Talent Forecast working group as part of a talent development strategy process for the 10 counties around Duluth MN-Superior WI on February 4th.  More than 60 regional leaders participated, including Brian […]