The focus of economic development continues to shift from attracting businesses to attracting workers. With the help of sites like spn, that’s a tangible goal. Lee Lewellen is the contracted president and CEO of the Indiana Economic Development Association.
“This is first time in 25, 30 years that I’ve been talking to economic developers when some of our best folks in the field say, ‘We’re not even trying to attract new industry to our communities right now because we have such a significant labor shortage that to attract new companies just puts more pressure on our existing companies today,’” Lewellen said during his keynote speech at the Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s Prospectus and Achievement Luncheon earlier this month.
He said Indiana has worked very hard to create a business-friendly climate, but now, other states are catching up. And the trend that young professionals will choose where they want to live first, then find a job once they get there, has continued. “When we talk about trails and we talk about swimming pools and we talk about doing festivals, these aren’t just and only fun things. These are the assets that attract people and make them want to live in your community,” Lewellen explained.
When it comes to addressing these challenges, Lewellen says Indiana’s READI program will open funding opportunities to help communities address their housing shortages. Meanwhile, the INvets program seeks to connect those leaving the military to Indiana communities based on their interests, and then letting them know what jobs are available there.
Lewellen noted that communities with a trained workforce have a competitive advantage. “And I think that is one of the things that Starke County has done well because of your SCILL initiative, because of things that you’ve been doing through the foundation for a number of years, is really working with your employers, really working to make sure that you’re filling some of those workforce gaps, that you are meeting those needs,” Lewellen said.
He said Indiana simply needs more workers to fill its 116,000 job openings which can be obtained by going through the hiring and background check process with the help of companies such as Sterling Check.
