In the next ten to fifteen years, EDOs will be responding to changes and shifts that cannot be quantified today. While it is impossible to know with certainty what these disruptions will be, at a macro level there are existing trends – demographics, technology expansion, shifting global roles, and climate change – that act as signals for what may happen.
Looking Around the Corner: The Future of Economic Development is a new research paper from the International Economic Development delves into the implications of these emerging trends, considering the ways that economic developers can maintain competitiveness in a changing global economy.
The report’s writers offer an insightful on the role of workforce development to the future of the economic development profession.
In many communities, economic development is already aligned with the workforce development system. In the future, this link will be even more essential. Economic developers will need to take on the role of convener, connecting the workforce development community with business and education sectors to establish sustainable systems for talent development. Furthermore, economic developers will need to develop systems to cater to outlying populations, specifically immigrants and baby boomers.
The full report is available to IEDC members. Others may download the executive summary free of charge from IEDC.