The Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth is a framework geared toward identifying a clear path for advancing Missouri’s economy. As part of the project launched by Gov. Nixon, project leaders engaged representatives from business, labor, higher education, and economic development across the Show-Me State. Following recent focus groups held in regional quadrants across Missouri, the project solicited white papers from various channel leaders to help guide the steering committee. The initiative now has 40 white papers across a wide array of economic development categories with two position papers specifically on workforce development and an additional eight on education.
Jasen Jones, Executive Director for the Southwest Missouri WIB in Joplin, was identified by project leaders to provide input on the workforce development system. Jones authored a white paper entitled, High Octane Workforce Development as a Catalyst for Regional Economic Growth. Jones constructed a logic model that promotes four key policy considerations: integration of outreach and service delivery, cohesive and balanced regional frameworks, diversified and value-added resource development, and building of social and political capital.
Workforce leaders from Missouri’s community colleges jointly submitted a piece titled, A Focused Response to Workforce Training to Support Economic Development and Job Creation. The five recommendations from this white paper included targeted industry strategies, common visioning and plan priorities within regions, additional collaboration among community colleges, Centers of Excellence based on industry sectors and other key disciplines, and established quality standards at community colleges.
The website gateway for the Strategic Initiative for Economic Growth includes links for all 40 of the white papers. Summaries of the strategic planning regional focus groups and lists of committee volunteers may be found online as well in the right hand sidebar of the homepage.