State of the Workforce in Hampton Roads

Save the date:  Thursday, June 10. Learn how Hampton Roads’ workforce compares to that of the State and Nation and better understand the demographic and workforce trends in our region that impact your business. Registration is now open.

The 2010 Hampton Roads State of the Workforce Report will be presented from 10:30am to 11:30am followed at 11:45am by lunch and a keynote by Dr. Ed Gordon (biography).

Today, business expansion is less about an advantageous location and more about the skills and capacity of the workforce.  Talent, imagination, innovation, entrepreneurship –people—can drive economic expansion.   As communities that share a common destiny, we recognize that the human resource harnessed with our competitive assets (Ports, Federal Government, Tourism and new Opportunities) will determine our economic future.

Workforce Development in Hampton Roads represents a broad agenda of issues impacting our ability to guarantee a world-class workforce that is competitive in a global economy.  The workforce development system (employers, training providers, workers) in our region are part of even larger systems – the state, the nation, and the world.  Businesses in Hampton Roads compete with businesses globally for workers with skills and knowledge necessary to provide them with a competitive advantage.

Workers in our region compete with workers around the world for jobs and the financial security that they provide.  By identifying and articulating the workforce needs of business; educators, community leaders, job seekers and individual workers are able to prepare for the opportunities made available by a changing and expanding economy.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Ed Gordon, author of Winning the Global Talent Showdown. Dr. Gordon’s keynote address, “The 2010 Jobs Crossroads: Meltdown or Resurgence?” draws on his extensive personal business experience and leading-edge research to challenge people to think about innovations for today and business success for tomorrow.

In the midst of widespread unemployment, the U.S. and world economies still have a shortage of skilled talent.  Increasingly complex technology continues to set a breakneck pace of change.  In industrial nations, the large-baby boomer cohort is aging and moving into retirement.  Succeeding generations have decidedly different views on work-life culture and overall are less well-educated, particularly in technical areas.

In Japan, Korea, and many European nations, populations and workforces are shrinking significantly.  Even India’s and China’s massive populations cannot produce enough qualified talent to meet the demands of their rapid economic development.

Dr. Gordon gives strategic workforce development case studies of how business people, educators, union leaders, government officials, parents, activists, and others are partnering through community-based organizations (CBOs) to craft new education-to-employment systems for 21st technology-based economies.

Join the Hampton Roads business community for this dynamic presentation, delivering powerful messages with humor, offering audiences a definite reality check, supported by ideas for greater business productivity and better leadership.