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LOCAL VOICES INFORMATION 0 StrategiesRefocusing g For Work Force Readiness By Craig Waldron and Lyle Wray or those of us who have beenf • Create sstems to assist workers with representativesfrom companies do- ing of involved extensively in economic employment challenges associated ing business in Oakdale.The discussion development, the basic, tried and with an emerging economy; has now shifted from the need to com- true approach has been to en- • Ensure that welfare reform and hour- pete with more and more incentives, to courage economic development ing initiatives make meaningful con- tributions to the state's growing de- From a community-based perspec- facilities. In other words—incen- mand for new workers; five, Oakdale is involved in this"new" tives. As economic development • Implement a sustained public infor- focus through a Work Force Readiness 11 specialists,we've used traditional financ- mation strategy to help individuals, Task Force, made up of business as well 1 ing tools to our advantage. The private businesses,and institutions understand as citizen representatives. Oakdale and investment leveraged in many of our changing economic realities, and par- its business community convened a job communities,through financial incen- ticipate actively and successfully in fair in January in an effort to explain tives, has been nothing short of out- the emerging economy; manufacturing careers to high school standing.Despite all of these obvious • Promote globally competitive stan- students. Also on the school front,Jim signs of success,we are now observing dards in K-12 educational programs Jackson,president of Classic Manufac- a trend where job creation has started and accountability for achieving rig- turing, is developing a high school pro- to outstrip our capacity to provide orous standards; and, gram to encourage students to consider qualified personnel.As a consequence, • Renew Minnesota's commitment to manufacturing related jobs as viable ca- me companies have foregone or de- a high quality of life to retain and at- reers. Oakdale is also working with yed expansion. tract a highly talented and productive Ramsey and Washington counties to The Economic Development Strate- work force. develop a red-tape free, one-stop link gies Task Force,which includes virtu- The city of Oakdale is a case in for employers while exploring the po- ally every economic development point. In the early 1990s, Oakdale's in- tential of customized training with group in the state, was formed to en- dustrial parks were pushing up weeds. Century College. courage a long-term,non-political The proposed Oakdale site for 3M's From a local perspective, the path to strategy to facilitate growth in Minne- Carlton Park sat vacant as the expansion success is clear.We should first support sota. In their strategy report, the task went to Austin,Tex. The east side of a coherent,long-term,non-political force pointed to a key emerging trend: the metro area was unproved develop- economic development strategy—one "Not only has there been a shift away ment territory. which properly focuses the state's in- from natural resources to human re- Oakdale developed an aggressive vestment into the appropriate priorities sources,but there has been a move- economic development program. The and ensures the training of our work ment to expect more from the work city used all available tools to accom- force. Subsequently,local communities force. Computer capabilities,critical plish its goal,but the tools primarily fo- can begin integrating efforts and work thinking skills, and team approaches are cused on more traditional financial in- plans within the statewide investment in demand. Expect numerous work centives like tax increment financing framework. To get results locally,we force changes due to major demo- and low-interest loans. Oakdale in- will have to shift from traditional, graphic shifts, the aging of the work vented a number of innovative funds, competitive financial incentives to force, and dramatic decline in the num- including a revolving"seed" fund.Al- collaborations between different sectors, ber of new entrants." though unique and aggressive,these both public and private, to build a The task force outlined seven Strate- programs were heavily incentive-ori- qualified work force for our growing gies to ensure our state's work force ented. Fortunately the approach was companies.r will be ready to compete: extremely successful. The city has seen • Unite business and post-secondary more than one million square feet of educational institutions to prepare industrial/office development, which and train a competitive work force; has produced roughly 2,000 jobs and • Support lifelong learning and the de- $54 million in private investment. Craig Waldron is city administrator of the ll" velopment of work force skills Today, the city is made aware of its city of Oakdale. Lyle Wray is executive di- through adult education,training, work force needs through its Economic rector of the Citizen's League and an ad- and retraining; Development Commission comprised junct professor at Hamline University. 36 MINNESOTA CITIES MARCH 1998