WORKFORCE ALLIANCE TO HOST PALM BEACH COUNTY’S WORKFORCE SUMMIT 2008

West Palm Beach, April 21, 2008 -- Palm Beach County’s Workforce Summit 2008 will be hosted by Workforce Alliance at the Kravis Center on May 29 from 7:45 am to 11:30 am.  It is titled “The Future of Palm Beach County Workforce Development: It’s a Journey, Not a Destination,” and will be introduced by Erik Wahl, with subsequent discussions led by futurist Ed Barlow.

The topics will include: What will be the source of future workers?  How can they be trained in the proper skills? How can we get state and federal funds for workforce training and development?  What kinds of skills will be needed for the County’s workforce in the coming years?  What new opportunities are available for companies and for workers? How can workforce development contribute to the County’s economic growth?  And more.

Kathryn Schmidt, President and CEO of Workforce Alliance, pointed out, “Over 200 leaders of small and large businesses, educators, union representatives, economic development groups and employers in general attended last year’s Summit.  Their input and discussions provided valuable input in the development of the two-year plan now in place for Workforce Development in Palm Beach County.

“We encourage even greater attendance and participation this year. The Summit will be a follow-up to last year’s event and is open to all businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, employers and community organizations who wish to participate and provide input to the Workforce Development planning process for our County.”  

Ed Barlow will address the group regarding the implications of rapid change on the future needs of employers and will facilitate the ensuing discussions.  He has conducted seminars throughout the United States and on several other continents, and is well known for his expertise in economic and workforce development combined with projections for the future. The resulting discussions, proceedings, findings and conclusions of the Summit will be provided to all attendees after they are compiled. 

Besides working with such national and international groups as The Department of Labor, the European Union, the Federal Reserve Bank System, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Six Sigma Academy of Europe, he has also provided services and analyses for Palm Beach County School District, the Palm Beach County Workforce Alliance and Economic Development Board in recent years, thus retaining a working knowledge of Palm Beach County’s business and economic situation and outlook.
                                                     
Workforce Summit 2008 will be opened with a “jump start” by Erik Wahl, an internationally recognized speaker on organizational excellence.  He will present “The Art of Vision,” a fast-paced one-of-a-kind program that will serve as an entertaining introduction.  It will challenge attendees to employ breakthrough thinking during the ensuing Summit, as well as greater levels of performance, productivity and ultimately profitability in their daily lives.

The event is intended to be a collaboration to create “breakthrough” solutions to assure the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities that both employers and workers will require in the future.  Attendees will be contributing to the common good and economic growth of the County, while benefiting from the new insights that are applicable to each person’s individual professional setting.

The program includes a full breakfast during the beginning of the program, and will cost $40.00 per person with discounts for entire tables, and attendees will receive a published report and results of the conference as a subsequent follow-up.

Reservations may be made on line at the Workforce Alliance website (Click Here to Register), or by calling staff member, Barbara Pierson, at 561-340-1061, extension 2205.

Workforce Alliance, as the non-profit company chartered by the State of Florida to develop and manage a workforce system in Palm Beach County, is the local recipient of federal taxpayer dollars earmarked to ensure the connectivity between job seekers and businesses’ demand.   It operates three Career Centers and Professional Placement Centers and offers its professional services to all employers and job seekers in the County.