By By Adam Prestridge
news reporter
Aside from location, workforce development is one of the key ingredients for cities and counties when recruiting industry and business to an area.
Tuesday, the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Brewton Chamber of Commerce and the Escambia County Industrial Development Authority will co-sponsor the Escambia County Workforce Development Forum. Among those that are invited to attend event, which begins at 9 a.m. at the Alabama Technology Network on the Jefferson Davis Community College campus in Brewton, include county principals, mayors, commissioners and public officials.
And despite a struggling economy, the possibility of securing “spin-off” industries from such industrial mega sites such as the Thyssenkrupp steel mill in Calvert are realistic goals for the group. “We need a trained workforce to be able compete for industries and businesses interested in locating in Escambia County,” Rogers said.
Al Etheridge, Field Director of the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council, will speak at the forum informing those on hand what the SAWDC is currently working on and what track the council is on. Etheridge with also work with those on hand in answering questions such as: How do we work with the underserved people? How do we help the dislocated people? And Are there other groups that we should be working with?
Forums such as Tuesdays will be held in counties throughout the south in the weeks to come, Roger said.
Those invited to the forum are encouraged to attend the event. Rogers said the groups are aware of the time constraints on all involved and said the event should conclude around 10:30 a.m.
For more information, contact the ECIDA office at 368-5404.