A Road Less Traveled

SHAWNEE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

Points of Pain…

• Not enough qualified or skilled applicants

• Greater competition for the available labor

• Aging workforce

• Short AND Long Term workforce concerns

• Difficult to access and maneuver workforce delivery systems

• Harder to undertake workforce recruitment and attraction

• Pressure to improve production or level of services

• Corporate decision on where to invest capital, based upon labor

What’s feeding the workforce pipeline?

Skilled or Not So Skilled Workforce

Veterans, High

School, Career

Tech and College

Graduates

Underemployed,

Unemployed, Attraction

and Recruitment

Supportive Services

Cornucopia of resources & options…

OESC/Workforce Ctr.

K-12

Career Tech

Universities

Vet’s Rep

JobMatch.com

ECOWIB

On the Job Training

Gov’s Council on WF & ED

ODOC – Hot Jobs

OK Alliance / MEA

TIP Funds

FFA

Head Hunter – OESC/Private

Skills Training – Prisons

Funds to Retrain Vets

T.A.N.F.

D.H.S.

Adult Rehab Services

Tribal Programs

Temporary Agencies

COHRA

Formerly Incarcerated

Personal Networks

Media options

Faith-based Connections

Alternative Schools

Social Services

Work Keys/Key Train

Ecosystems Development

WE are all in this alone, together…

Competing or Develop a collaborative process?

Stand alone efforts or A systematic focused approach?

Figure out the maze of services or Build a repository of resources?

Keep doing the same things or Utilize every option available?

Wait for the systems to fix the shortage or Take action?

SOME of the targeted audiences…

Students

Parents

Underemployed

Disengaged (Dropouts)

Veterans/Returning

All graduates

Boomerangers

Out of State Talent

Retirees / Part-Time

Personal Networks

Our crazy idea…

Increase the

awareness of

available services

and training

Reach a wider target

audience

Increase the

quantity and

quality of the labor

pool

HOW will we do that?

Direct mail to various socio economic groups in Pottawatomie and surrounding counties. (students, parents, underemployed, etc.)

Catalog of services/options located on a landing page on our website, linked to the world of workforce.

Interaction and heightened awareness with Vet’s representatives, school counselors, FFA instructors, career services staff, instructors, unique job posting services, social media, traditional media and service agencies.

Not a “one and done” effort, but more so a long-term sustainable plan.

What are we already doing?

Sharing the job descriptions among our own professional network.

Increasing awareness of job opportunities on social media platforms/website.

Connecting employment opportunities through non-traditional workforce attraction efforts.

Outreach to regional FFA instructors and the K-12 systems.

Marketing the community outside of Shawnee.

Why the SEDF?

A business organization that understands the connection between workforce and your success… plus, we have a sense of urgency...

A governing body of professionals that speak the languages of business, manufacturing, education, utilities, marketing and a whole lot more…

We realize that you need a partner in the process that is focused on existing businesses first...

We will do the hard work no one else has undertaken…

What the SEDF Needs: Data and Dollars

To move from discussion to action we need

Your help in gathering the data on the who and what comprises our workforce, and info about your companies, (one-on-one meetings with SEDF staff and your HR/company leadership)

Consistent financial support from those who have been doing so for the past two decades, AND those of you in the room today.

What have we done for you lately?

Posting job opening Actively supporting railway improvements Forward information on incentives

Maintain contact during water crisis Directly encourage roadway improvements for industrial areas

Hands on involvement with permitting needs Publish articles on area businesses to increase awareness

Invite and involve our Federal, State and Local Elected Officials to assist the area businesses as necessary

Provide customized targeted customer lists Offer supply chain and distribution connections

Conduct background research on consultants and possible employees

Connect infrastructure providers with area businesses Assist with property acquisition & lease negotiations

Bring potential business clients and prospects to the companies Consistently act as a business advocate

Maintain constant contact of matters related to business Undertake wage surveys and comparative data

Market the community to help grow the population Recruit additional retailers

Shawnee Economic Development Foundation

Tim Burg, Executive Director

131 N. Bell

Shawnee OK. 74801

405-273-7490

tburg@sedf.biz

www.sedf.biz