National O-NET report promotes QSRT success story on helping bring new jobs to region
October 8, 2009
A national report from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET) showcases the Southwest Missouri WIB’s recent efforts to use O*NET resources to attract new jobs and investment to the region.
The Fall 2009 release of the O*NET Products at Work report includes the WIB’s honors on page 3 as one of several leading-edge best practices nationwide. The spotlight notes the WIB’s joint work with the Miami (OK) Area Economic Development Service to help land 250 new jobs (both direct and indirect) along with $51 million in new investment for the regional economy. The article includes a link to the recent case study published by Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc.
The Workforce Investment Board of Southwest Missouri was called on to provide data to attract a germanium wafer (a solar cell semiconductor component) manufacturer to Quapaw, Oklahoma. Oklahoma is part of a four-state WIRED region, so workforce data on all four states was analyzed, using EMSI’s labor market tool, Strategic Advantage. Strategic Advantage uses O*NET data to define the knowledge, skills, and abilities available to employers in a region. With this data, the WIB was able to clearly demonstrate the skills and availability of workers in the area. The manufacturer was convinced that the small town of Quapaw had the necessary workforce, resulting in a $51 million investment and 250 new jobs.
(http://www.economicmodeling.com/resources/527_workforce-data-critical-as-oklahoma-town-attracts-solar-cell-plant/)
Other specific references tied to the Four-States region include the Missouri Department of Economic Development website link to O*NET for MERIC’s Dislocated Worker Tool, the Kansas Department of Labor’s Profile of the Healthcare Industry, the Arkansas Occupational Skill and Assisted Research (OSCAR) tool, Arkansas Rehab Services, Oklahoma Employment Service Commission’s JobLink, and the Workforce Oklahoma Career Connection.
