LTWDB welcomed SWATT leaders to discuss workforce recruitment and retention
The Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board (LTWDB) and the Lincoln Trail Area Development District (LTADD) recently hosted the Statewide Workforce and Talent Team (SWATT) Roadshow, bringing together regional leaders from the Kentucky Chamber, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet, the Kentucky Community & Technical College System and the Council for Post-Secondary Education. The team discussed how groups can collaborate to better serve business and industry as well as potential employees. The roadshow’s primary goal was to listen to local leaders about what is working in the Lincoln Trail region, specific challenges, and what makes the region unique.
The mission of SWATT is to create a coordinated, collaborative system that makes it easier for employers to find and develop talent. SWATT represents a unified approach where, for the first time, business, education, and state government have formally come together. Regional and statewide partners are coming together to collaborate and solve specific workforce needs for individual businesses, whether they require assistance with attracting talent, expanding operations, or upskilling their current teams.
A crucial element of the SWATT Roadshow is its commitment to local relevance. Participants acknowledged that workforce needs vary greatly across the state. In the Lincoln Trail region, specific challenges were discussed, including:
- Access to essential skills training, upskilling and development for employers
- Critical needs for childcare, housing and transportation.
- The need for a “one-stop” hub to record employer engagement among the statewide workforce system.
The roadshow serves as a platform for state-level partners to listen to the needs on the ground and offer assistance, rather than dictating solutions to local communities.
Participating organizations at the roadshow include: the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Office of Industry and Apprenticeship Services, the Office of Adult Education, the Career Development Office, the Kentucky Career Center-Lincoln Trail, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Workforce Solutions and representatives from local Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development
