Let’s borrow a motto…We Will Do This Together!

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