Talent 2.0 Regional Workforce Strategy

Talent and Workforce is an essential part of a healthy economy.  As the region continues to grow, businesses and communities realize that the development, maintenance and accessibility of a talented workforce is a top priority.  Talent development is a team sport that requires public, private and educational institutions to work collaboratively to be successful. Numerous barriers keep existing residents from fully participating in the labor force. These barriers can range from access to transportation and child care to increased commute times and traffic congestion.

To begin to address this challenge, the Talent 2.0 team was established. On the team are representatives from:

  • Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce
  • City of Fort Collins Economic Health Department
  • City of Loveland Economic Development Department
  • Larimer County Economic Development Department
  • Larimer County Workforce Center
  • Loveland Chamber of Commerce
  • Northern Colorado Economic Alliance
  • United Way of Larimer County

We hired one of the nation’s top economic and workforce development consulting firms, TIP Strategies, to guide us in the development of a talent plan and are pleased to release that plan to public.

February 14, 2017 Release

Talent 2.0 Regional Workforce Strategy Report

Talent 2.0 Regional Workforce Strategy Slides

TIP Strategies Geography of Jobs

TIP Strategies Geography of Recovery

 

Talent 2.0 and Childhood Community Releases New White Paper:
A Workforce Strategy and Major Economic Driver: Child Care in Larimer County

The Talent 2.0 Workforce Strategy, released last February, identifies common concerns for employers that become significant barriers to the recruitment and retention of talent.  One of those barriers identified was a lack of child care options in Larimer County.

The early childhood community has long been aware of the increasing shortage of child care options in Larimer County and how that affects employers in all industries across Larimer County, as parents cannot work when they do not have safe and stable care for their children.

A collaboration of Be Ready, Directing Change and the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County wrote a white paper, A Workforce Strategy and Major Economic Driver:  Child Care in Larimer County to provide a brief overview of child care challenges for employers and families in Larimer County. The issues are complex, and solutions will require the joint effort of businesses, governmental agencies, educational institutions, and the early childhood sector.

The white paper examines the cost of child care, the community capacity for child care and the “failed market” of child care.  The white paper identifies a gap of more than 3,000 children between licensed child care capacity in Larimer County and the child care need.

The child care collaboration proposed, and Talent 2.0 supported, joining forces with business and economic development leaders, forming an official task force of the Talent 2.0 Strategy to pursue solutions for Larimer County.  The short-term task force will include representatives of the child care community as well as the business community and will work together to better understand this workforce barrier while evaluating possible solutions.  Talent 2.0 is calling for interested business leaders to contact Ann Hutchison ([email protected]) at the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce to join the newly formed task force.

Read the full white paper here.

2017 Priorities 

 

Northern Colorado Public Colleges & Universities Release Economic Impact Study

The four public colleges and universities in Northern Colorado added $2.4 billion in income to the economy of Larimer and Weld Counties and provided an impressive return on investment in the fiscal year 2015-16, according to the results of a new economic impact study released today.  To learn more check out these links:

NoCoPCU Press Release 08-20-17

NoCoPCU Executive Summary

NoCoPCU Full Report

NoCoPCU Infographic

 

Talent 2.0 would not be possible without the financial support of the following:

Advanced Energy
Woodward
Ed Carroll Motor Company
Pedersen Toyota
Spradley Barr
Townsquare

 

Contact Ann Hutchison at [email protected] to learn more about Talent 2.0 and how you can get involved.