Joint Press Release with Alberta Labour and Immigration, Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, Northwestern Polytechnic, County of Grande Prairie, Municipal District of Greenview.
The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce Regional Workforce Development Strategy has been released and includes targeted actions aimed at ensuring there are enough workers with the right skills and supports to drive strong economic growth across the City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie and Municipal District of Greenview. The strategy, which will be implemented over the next five years, will guide a cooperative and integrative response to workforce development across the region.
Grounded in two years of extensive research and consultation, the community-driven strategy is the result of a strong collaboration led by the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the City, County, Greenview, Northwestern Polytechnic and Alberta Labour and Immigration. Over the past two years, nearly 800 community stakeholders provided feedback and insights to support the strategy’s development.
As a next step, the six partners will continue their work as the Regional Workforce Development Partnership to advance the recommendations outlined in the strategy addressing the region’s employment demands, skills gaps and workforce development needs. A key component of implementing the actions will be the continued involvement of local business and industry, government and the community at large.
Four key goals will advance the strategy:
- Formalize and strengthen the existing partnership that has been in place since the inception of the strategy.
- Attract and retain talent to support local business and address the workforce gaps.
- Build partnerships and collaboration to support the attraction and retention of talent, skills development and training.
- Celebrate and promote the region as a great place to live and work.
Each of the four goals includes associated relevant and achievable short-, medium- and long-term actions, which are outlined in a separate working document. Intended to be a “living document,” the strategy will be responsive and adjust to changes in priorities and conditions that may occur over the next five years.
To access the Regional Workforce Development Strategy and to stay up to date about the Region’s workforce development planning and initiatives, visit the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce at grandeprairiechamber.com/labour-market-study.
Quotes:
Kaycee Madu, Minister of Labour and Immigration, Government of Alberta
“We are pleased to support projects that will help Albertans gain the skills needed in today’s job market and strengthen Alberta’s economic recovery. This collaborative effort will help identify existing workforce needs and develop new opportunities in the Grande Prairie region to support local industries and grow our economy now and in the future.”
Tertius Genis, Board Chair, Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce
“This strategy delivers an innovative, coordinated and practical approach to advance workforce development in our region. The Chamber is committed to continuing our work with our partners and the community to put the recommendations to work to create a strong and resilient workforce for today and the future.”
Justin Kohlman, President and CEO, Northwestern Polytechnic
“Our region is teeming with talent, skills and distinctive entrepreneurial energy. This strategy not only demonstrates the value in working together, it also provides a considered approach to actively developing and retaining an equipped and relevant workforce that will meet evolving needs and deliver impactful results.”
Mayor Jackie Clayton, City of Grande Prairie
“It is vital that our region work together to attract and retain the right skills across existing and emerging sectors to continue to build a vibrant and economically prosperous community. We are encouraged by the strategy’s four goals that define collaborative actions to support our workforce and labour needs now and into the future.”
Reeve Leanne Beaupre, County of Grande Prairie
“This strategy will ensure widespread and swift response to what those of us here already know – that our region is an area of choice among Alberta’s great places to live and work. The County of Grande Prairie is proud to collaborate with the Government of Alberta, the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, Northwestern Polytechnic, the City of Grande Prairie and the M.D. of Greenview to attract the right people with the necessary skills to strengthen our region’s economic growth for years to come.”
Reeve Tyler Olsen, Municipal District of Greenview
“Successful economic growth for our region will depend on our ability to ensure there are enough workers with the right skills to meet the needs of new businesses and industries. The Regional Workforce Strategy strengthens the partnership with our neighbouring municipalities and provides practical actions that will help us work together to meet this future demand.”