Author: fcg

Hi! Recent economic news is rough, especially for small-town America. While doing some recent consulting in the Mountain West, however, I was encouraged to learn of significant new activity in the wind turbine sector. There has been some impressive investments in both nacelle and blade production plants in small towns from companies such as Vestas in Windsor, CO and Dragon Wind in Lamar, CO. This is consistent with other recent small town projects in places such as Columbus, NE; Newton, IA; Butte, MT; McGregor, TX, and Sioux Falls, SD. Job totals range from 50 to 700 and capital investments are impressive too (Vestas in Brighton, CO investment topped $250 million). Wind turbine site selection criteria (by priority) look something like this:

1. Access to market – wind farms

2. Available labor (up to 1000 jobs) – machining and electronics skills & quality

3. Rail (more than one provider preferred)

4. Sites (up to 200 acres)/available industrial buildings (up to 500,000 sq.ft.)

5. Free of earthquake or flood zones

6. Training – college offering mechanical and electrical engineering degrees; plus machining and electronics

7. Incentives and positive state/local policies.

Maybe things are looking up because we know one thing, small-town America, the wind will always blow! Regards, Deane

Hi Sports Fans! Along with 63,000 of my Cardinal buddies, I was thrilled with yesterday’s victory over the “Dirty Birds” (Falcons)! The Cards’ motto this season…we will do this together ! Cooperation works even for the once laughable Cards! It’s been great for Arizona during some tough economic times.

I pondered this motto after reading some of the other headlines and editorials this AM, which included AZ May Run Out of Money in Feb, and the need to stick to an economic plan instead of restarting with each new administration (using North Carolina’s Research Triangle as a model to follow). An essential part of a successful plan–cooperation!

Workforce issues came to mind here once again, the need to educate, train, retrain and attract new skills into the workplace. I had the pleasure of attending a recent meeting of the AZ Association of Economic Developers (AAED) Workforce Committee. I was pleased to participate in a discussion that focused on new plans to encourage more cooperation between public workforce organizations (WIA, City, County etc.) and private business. The end result of this improved cooperation will be better training for the skill needs of the future.

Although encouraged by the discussion, I couldn’t help thinking about what other states have been doing effectively for years…good public/private cooperation in workforce planning. I mentioned North Carolina’s success, but look at Iowa, who has one of the best state workforce programs in the nation, which includes continuous surveying of underemployment (available skills) statewide. Or look at the Western Illinois WIB, a well planned and cooperative workforce program where economic developers and workforce officials sit down and plan on an ongoing basis. The result has been a successful rural program in the midst of a state in economic and political (governor’s scandal) turmoil.

I am hopeful that the Arizona workforce program will look at other “best practices”, not reinvent the wheel, and continue this improved cooperation. Maybe we should borrow the motto…we will do this together! and add…we will stick to the plan! Thanks and GO CARDS! Deane

We have all heard and read a lot about the proposed plan and Obama clearly laid out training/retraining as a platform during his campaign. But what do think is coming in 2009 in the area of training?

Seasons Greetings! This a perfect week to begin preparing to relax for the holidays! And as we relax over the next couple of weeks it will be a perfect time to reflect on the past year and prepare for 2009. Yes, of course the economy is bad, but new promise awaits in the new year, including … the Obama Plan

…with a public works element unseen in our lifetime…

…a new “Greening” like we’ve never seen before …

…workforce training/retraining that will make our heads spin!

Let’s all work together to rebuild this economy!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A PROPEROUS NEW YEAR from all of us at FCG, Deane

Friends: I enjoyed attending and presenting at the recent Mid-American Economic Development Council (MAEDC) in Chicago. Topics from a number of national specialists ranged from our future, to ways to be more competitive in economic development, to site selection. The mood was understandably somber due to our challenging economic crisis, however there was an underlining spirit of hope, which came out in a variety of ways, such as:

• Midwestern states are not as bad off of many of our east and west coast neighbors, for example unemployment trends are modest and in some cases (North Dakota) heading down!
• Data centers have been and will again, after a brief lull due to financing, be hot. Expect continued big investment from some of the big boys (Google and Microsoft), but also from single users, especially hospitals due to their huge data storage needs.
• Wind power and many other green projects will remain hot!
• Workforce availability may be better now due to layoffs… but don’t be lulled into a false sense of complacency (as I pointed out in the session regarding available labor). Some skills shortages still exist (probably a dozen community reps raised their hands when Futurist Ed Barlow asked which communities had shortages now) and will be back on a widespread basis again soon.
• Workforce “hope” was reinforced in the available labor session by Drew Conrad with the University of Northern Iowa and I. Communities that do proper workforce planning and, for example, conduct professional underemployment studies, are going to be better prepared for new project locations and expansions. Portions of this presentation will be posted on the website soon.

All in all, a very worthwhile session with great fellowship and networking. Keep up the good work, MAEDC! Check out more at www.maedc.net. Happy Holidays, Deane