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

Future of Work in Appalachia

Development District Association of Appalachia
Start Date: Jul 2021 — End Date: Dec 2021

DDAA helped identify specifically what industries and occupations were likely to face the greatest disruption due to automation and identify ways that local areas can respond. DDAA proposed to convene an advisory group of ARC staff and LDD leaders to refine the scope. We developed data on sectors and jobs most likely to be impacted. Then, we translated this information to the specific challenges in two regions (to be selected). Within each region, we worked with local leaders, interviewed local businesses and education/training providers to discuss the challenges and preparedness for expected shifts in key local sectors and occupations due to automation. The result was work products for those two regions and a ‘proof of concept’ for similar analyses and technical assistance (including the development of a model dashboard and exemplary strategies) for relevant industrial sectors and occupations in other ARC regions.

About the Client

Development District Association of Appalachia

The Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) is a membership organization of the 73 Local Development Districts (LDD’s) serving the 420 counties of the Appalachia Region. The DDAA works to strengthen LDDs and their member governments and to provide leadership to support the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) federal-state-local partnership.