OREP meeting hones in on work force issues

If you build a strong work force, employers will come.

Regional leaders preached that theory during the Oct. 23 Ozarks Regional Economic Partnership's 10th annual fall meeting.

OREP spans 10 counties in the Springfield area and includes 72 member cities, counties and chambers of commerce. Fall meeting attendees heard a partnership update, listened to three speakers and looked back on 10 years. But the recurring theme of the day centered on employment needs.

"As we look at new ways to promote job creation and to promote economic development in our area, work force creation is at the top of the list of ways to do that," said Jeff Seifried, manager of regional development for the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, which is a lead organizer of OREP.

Companies are looking for a qualified work force, and the ability to offer that will draw large employers. Some of the region's challenges and opportunities were covered during a panel discussion between Hal Higdon, Ozarks Technical Community College president; Kristen Westerman, manager of work force development at the Springfield chamber; and Bill Dowling, Missouri Career Center director.

During an interview after the event, Dowling directly pointed to wages as a key to developing the region's work force.

"We have to have a talent development system and be able to also journey toward family-supporting careers," Dowling said, referring to a competitive assessment of the region presented at the chamber's sixth Annual Economic Outlook Conference on Oct. 20. "One of the issues that was listed in (the assessment) was obviously the low wages. And we're never going to grow as a region correctly and vitally, unless we really have a real move toward family-supporting careers."

Seeking soft skills and young talent

During the panel discussion, Higdon said employers are concerned about soft skills, and some have asked if OTC can teach its students the basics: how to look supervisors in the eye, show up on time and point out the potential for problems before they become an issue.

"We're lacking so many soft skills," said Angie Mullings, co-chairman of OREP's executive committee and owner of Century 21 Integrity Group in Springfield. "Things like showing up on time, being responsible, being a team player - it seemed like throughout the day, that was repeated over and over."

A noted lack of soft skills, in part, spawned the 2005 creation of the chamber's Character Education initiative. The program emphasizes key words each month - courtesy, honesty and self-discipline - to foster such development.

"The interesting thing is, right now we have high unemployment, so employers have more of a selection, but (some of them) are still having a hard time finding those employees with the appropriate soft skills," Westerman said.

Another opportunity for the region's work force comes in the form of attracting young professionals. Dowling noted that the Ozarks may be selling itself short when it comes to quality of life. Industry research, Westerman pointed out, tends to show that young workers will decide where to live first and then find a job.

"Young professionals are looking for parks, trails, after-hours venues, continuing education opportunities and culture," she said. "We have all that here, but we lose some of our young professionals to larger cities."

Community mingling

Regular spring and fall meetings provide OREP members with opportunities to get to know each other's communities and to meet state and federal representatives.

"There's a lot of time for people ... to discuss common issues," said Judy Stainback, who is mayor of Battlefield and a member of OREP's advisory board and executive committee.

Stainback found the presentation by Missouri Director for USDA Rural Development Janie Dunning as most helpful to her community. Dunning reminded attendees that there are more than 40 programs available for communities to obtain funding for development projects.

Other presentations were by OTC Center for Workforce Development Executive Director Dawn Busick and Missouri Department of Economic Development Compliance Manger Andy Papen.

"You see a lot of what I call 'the right people' ... from all layers of the economy there," said attendee Rick Ziegenfuss, Hollister's city administrator. "I'm not aware of another forum that does that in quite a successful a manner."

OREP comprises Barry, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Greene, Lawrence, Polk, Stone, Taney and Webster counties.[[In-content Ad]]