Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier Executive Director Todd Tranum presents to the Jamestown Local Development Corporation (October 18, 2023)
A strategic planning proposal to help with workforce development in the non-construction trades has received initial funding.
The Jamestown Local Development Corporation heard a presentation from Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier Executive Director Todd Tranum on the proposal.
Tranum has been working with the Good Jobs, Great Cities Initiative that the City of Jamestown is part of along with 15 other cities in the United States.
He said the number one issue for area manufacturers remains workforce development, even before the Pandemic. Tranum said this is a “once in a generation opportunity” for Jamestown to work in the Good Jobs, Great Cities programs along with the U.S. Department of Labor.
He said stakeholders have identified the overall challenge as connecting residents to good paying jobs and employers to skilled workers. Tranum said there are three areas of focus, “One, energizing the youth talent pipeline. We got to get more young people interested and connected with manufacturing, advanced manufacturing opportunities in our community and region. Building the adult talent pipeline.. we know we have a lot of working poor in our community and in the area, so how can we lift them up into some these job opportunities? And thirdly, working on retention of current and incoming employees.”
Tranum said the goal is to create a better system locally around workforce development. He said the strategic planning proposal involves him helping with management of the facilitation of the
Good Jobs, Great Cities initiative, helping support site visits from representatives of the Department of Labor, how the remaining $500,000 in American Rescue Plan funds set aside for workforce development can be best utilized, and how to make a sustainable model for the future.
The JLDC board approved $50,000 in ARP funds for the initiative.
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