The WIRED Initiative (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development), launched in November 2005, stresses the critical role talent development plays in creating effective regional economic development strategies. WIRED goes beyond traditional strategies for worker preparation by bringing together state, local and federal entities; academic institutions (including K-12, community colleges and universities); investment groups; foundations; and business and industry to address the challenges associated with building a globally competitive and prepared workforce. Click here for more information on WIRED from U.S. DOL.
Missouri was one of only 13 states/areas in the country to receive a WIRED grant in the initiative’s first round; this is our OneKC WIRED program that is still going strong. Rently, Missouri was again one of only 13 states/areas in the country to receive a WIRED grant in the initiative’s Generation III round. A new flavor of WIRED, known as the Regional Innovation Grant, is now available for regions facing major economic shifts to implement the WIRED framework as a demonstration project for strategic economic transformation. If approved, the Southwest Missouri WIB will be one of the first in nation to implement the WIRED across a regional collaboration in the corners of four different state jurisdictions.
OneKC WIRED
The OneKC WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development) initiative represents an innovative partnership designed to drive significant economic and workforce development transformation within a bi-state region of 18 counties in the greater KC area. It seeks to drive this transformation beyond artificial political and service delivery boundaries within education, workforce and economic development systems. The Division of Workforce Development serves as the grant recipient for the $15 million USDOLETA grant award representing both the State of Kansas and the State of Missouri.
The OneKC WIRED initiative’s goal is to integrate and build upon a collection of currently independent activities, which will lead to an unprecedented comprehensive system of economic development, workforce development, education and training to meet the region’s current and future needs. OneKC WIRED is particularly targeted to the high growth/high demand industries of advanced manufacturing, healthcare and biotechnology. Click here for more information, or see http://www.thinkkc.com/WIRED.
The Commerce Corridor of Southeast Missouri WIRED region
A14-county region in southeast Missouri (the 13 Southeast Area counties plus Butler County) has been designated as The Commerce Corridor of Southeast Missouri WIRED region. This area has an ideal infrastructure for commerce, linked to St. Louis and Memphis by the Mississippi River and Interstate 55. The Commerce Corridor area has a total population of 382,549, according to the U.S. Census. It primarily revolves around Cape Girardeau, which not only serves as the geographic center of the region, but also its economic engine – an attractor of workers from surrounding counties and as the primary retail, medical, educational, and industrial hub within a 100-mile radius. The region will promote innovation to nurture a new economy through new initiatives and the expansion of existing exemplary programs to accomplish four goals: accelerate business productivity and economic development; accelerate skills of current and dislocated workforce; accelerate skills of emerging student pipeline; and accelerate entrepreneurship. Click here for more information, or see http://www.job4you.org/WIRED.htm.
Quad States Regional Transformation
The Southwest Missouri WIB is partnering with neighboring WIBs in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas for a pending Regional Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to launch a demonstration project using the WIRED framework. Click here for more information on QSRT.