State leaders highlight collaboration between key business, education groups to address Kentucky workforce needs – The Bottom Line

Leaders of key state agencies and organizations emphasized the importance of collaboration between the business and education sectors to develop a sustainable and efficient workforce system that responds to the needs of Kentucky businesses and citizens during the Committee meeting. of the Interim Joint Economic and Labor Development. Investment Thursday.

The Statewide Workforce and Talent Team (SWATT), which includes the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet, the Kentucky Education and Workforce Cabinet, the Kentucky Department of Education, the Kentucky Chamber, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), and the Council of Kentucky Postsecondary Education (CPE). ), he shared the group’s collective efforts to create an improved workforce development system that provides effective solutions for the Commonwealth.

The group has four main goals:

• Business-centric: Adopting an industry-focused, data-driven approach to solving workforce problems.
• Communication: Improve communication and trust among unions.
• Human Resources: Provide impactful solutions to companies that align with industry needs.
• Employee Relations: Develop and maintain strong relationships to address employee needs.

“The common goal we all have is for employers to get the tools they need and to help Kentuckians find work. It all starts with employers. They are the ones who create jobs,” said Education and Labor Cabinet Secretary, Jamie Link.

Since the group’s inception, Link said the main question has been how to increase Kentucky’s labor force participation rate.

Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli ​​Watts said the Chamber is focused on addressing workforce needs through policies and programs. Watts said that if this problem continues, the economic strength of the Commonwealth will decline.

“We found that 75% of Kentucky businesses are struggling to find the talent they need for their open jobs,” Watts said. “We hope that these seeds that we are planting with SWATT, where our key partners meet monthly and discuss the businesses we work with, and assess the needs of Kentucky workers, will continue through the system. any.”

Kentucky Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel emphasized that the Commonwealth is at a crossroads, and the best way to navigate the road is to implement system change through significant partnerships.

“We have attracted a lot of jobs here. But jobs change, and the world changes. Having an impact on over 150,000 employers, it’s all about systems and processes. In order to create systemic change, those processes must be in place, and these relationships are important to do so,” Noel said.

Each leader shared that every business has different and unique needs, and each SWATT member is expected to provide different solutions. but which are adapted to respond to those needs.

“This SWATT project helps reduce attrition and duplication across the country, and improves the integration of companies that choose the Commonwealth to locate, expand, or especially stay here,” the said KCTCS President Dr. Ryan Quarles.

Through collaboration and communication, Link says SWATT works to ensure employers know what services they have and why it’s important to have a single point of contact. help businesses better. The group also emphasized that it wants to be a tool for the General Assembly in formulating policies and determining how resources are distributed.

Speaking about the development of Kentucky’s current and future workforce, CPE President Dr. Aaron Thompson shared how higher education plays an important role in SWATT.

“You cannot build and maintain an economy without highly educated workers. “When we’re recruiting businesses, we need to make sure we’re giving them what they need now, but what they’ll need in the future,” said Thompson.