Mobile Works Contracts with Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce To Fund Liaison to be Hired by Chamber
Friday, Jun 10th, 2005MOBILE, Alabama - June 10, 2005 - Mobile Works Inc. has contracted with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to fund a Mobile Works Liaison who will be hired by the Chamber to work on workforce and economic development issues that are critical to the mission of both partners�and the Mobile economy. The establishment of the liaison position will allow Mobile Works and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce to conduct joint workforce and economic development projects, for more effective use of both partner's resources and also ensure that these development projects have greater scope than either partner could achieve separately.
"We are proud to contract with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce on workforce and economic development. We believe that having a liaison working at the Chamber will strengthen not only our partnership, but is crucial in our joint effort to conduct a strategic analysis of Mobile's key industries. This analysis of Mobile industry clusters will enable both organizations to develop a holistic strategy for workforce and economic development," said Sydney G. Raine, President of Mobile Works. "And it will ensure that Mobile Works and the Alabama Career Center stay at the forefront of the needs of Mobile's existing and emerging businesses to provide the training and other services that these businesses truly need to stay competitive and be successful."
The Mobile Works Liaison will work in the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Center for Workforce Development alongside Chamber staff and the liaison's main role will be to coordinate and synergize the workforce development efforts of both the Center and Mobile Works by creating and analyzing industry clusters that are the backbone of the Mobile economy.
Industry clusters occur because competing businesses all find similar advantages to locating in one place. A skilled labor force evolves to supply different players in the industry cluster and the companies in a cluster both compete with each other and collaborate towards common goals. This constructive-competitive environment encourages innovation and the formation of new businesses in the cluster. The analysis and understanding of industry clusters in Mobile will be vitally important to the strategic growth of Mobile's economy.
As the key player in this project, the Mobile Works Liaison will work to identify key members of local business and industry groups as future occupational and industry coalition members, conduct coalition development interviews with business and industry executives and organize and facilitate coalition development meetings. The most important function of the liaison will be fostering communication�between industries and the businesses that comprise those industries and the industry groups that are created so that honest feedback is obtained in the coalition meetings; but most importantly, between the two partners.
This communication will ensure that both partners are on the same track and that the development of the industry clusters is truly a joint effort. Both Mobile Works and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce see the development of industry clusters as critical to attracting new businesses considering investing in business operations in Mobile, further strengthening Mobile's economy.
As well, the Mobile Works Liaison will learn about all the certification and referral process for all the programs and services available through Mobile Works and the Alabama Career Center for youth and adult jobseekers, as well as workforce development programs and services available to Mobile County businesses, in which Mobile Works invests its training dollars directly in participating businesses. This will enable the liaison to help develop the Chamber's awareness of which programs can most help its member businesses as well as the entire Mobile business community.
"Mobile Works is a key partner in workforce development in Mobile. Hiring a liaison funded by Mobile Works will help strengthen our partnership and make better use of our joint resources to reach a common goal of ensuring we have a workforce that's well-educated, trained and ready-to-work," said Win Hallett, President of the Mobile Chamber Area of Commerce. "The Chamber looks forward to addition of a new team member in our Center for Workforce Development."
Mobile Works Inc., a local partnership of business, education, labor and community leaders, provides businesses with training, leadership, labor market information and employment programs designed to stimulate local business by meeting the needs of Mobile area businesses while increasing the available labor pool of skilled jobseekers in the Mobile area. Since its inception in 2000, the group has invested more than $19 million overall to support Mobile area job and educational programs. In addition, in the 2004-2005 fiscal year alone, Mobile Works invested nearly $4.9 million dollars in jobs, training and economic initiatives for all of Mobile County.
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