> Workforce Issues Paramount in Business Strategic Plan

“Workforce issues are paramount to this area and to our state,” says Stan Ahlerich, president of Kansas, Inc. “It is our greatest challenge, but also our greatest opportunity.”

Kansas, Inc., a non-partisan organization focused on economic development research and analysis to ensure the state’s ongoing competitiveness for economic growth, spent 2007 facilitating statewide economic development strategic planning and, armed with this data, identifying policy options and building consensus that the group says is essential for the future of our state’s economy.

During the strategic planning process, three areas of focus were identified in regards to workforce development: training, attraction and retention, and lifelong learning/portability of education.

Workforce issues were heard throughout the state.

“There appears to be a misalignment between the supply and demand of educated workers, and forecasts predict a shortfall of workers in the coming years,” Ahlerich said. “In regards to training issues, a focus should be placed on technical education, as the undersupply of workers is more often related to technical occupations requiring less than four years of postsecondary education.”

Nationwide low unemployment indicates Kansas must do everything it can to attract and retain college graduates and workers, and also focus on other potential sources of workers, including military, immigrants, the aging population and disabled citizens.

“We must be creative and have the tools necessary to keep individuals here and build the capacity of our workforce,” said Ahlerich.

“An increased focus on lifelong learning and portability of credits must also be emphasized as workers require further skills or pursue continued education,” he says. “The goals should be to ensure all individuals have the foundational skills to enable them to engage in lifelong learning, prepare all individuals to be agile in the economy, and focus on certifying skill and knowledge sets.”