Part of my role at Green County Development Corporation is to regularly visit businesses in our community. When doing this, it gives me a chance to sit down with community and business leaders to really hear about the opportunities and challenges that these organizations are facing. What I learn from these visits directly translates to the projects and events that GCDC focuses on in the next few months. Right now, when visiting businesses, the number one thing that I am hearing is that our major companies don’t have enough people to fill open positions. I am sure that this does not come as a surprise to anyone. With the ever-changing economic atmosphere, economic developers are no longer focused on recruiting large companies to our communities, instead we focus on ways to recruit and retain the individual in Green County. Because of the workforce shortage, talent attraction has gotten even more challenging. In order to combat this, we need to get creative. That is why GCDC is partnering with a number of great organizations to help address this issue.
Internship and Apprenticeship Initiatives
Collaboration between local businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations has led to the creation of internship and apprenticeship programs. We are fortunate in Green County to have very strong apprenticeship programs run throughout our school districts. GCDC is actively trying to support these programs in any way possible. One way in which we are doing this is by partnering with the Monroe School District, SSM Health Monroe, Black Hawk Technical College, and a number of other local organizations to create the Home Construction Cooperative. With this program, we will give students the chance to renovate a dilapidated house. The goal of this program is to provide hands-on experience for students and young professionals while addressing the skills gap directly and offering potential long-term employment opportunities. We look forward to continuing to promote this opportunity and others like it in any way that we can.
Automation and Technology Integration
With the workforce shortage not going anywhere, many industries have pivoted in their approach to recruiting employees. They are now looking at ways in which automation and technology can replace needed positions. One great example of an industry doing this would be in agriculture. On Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023 at 7:30 a.m., GCDC will be hosting a Fall Breakfast at the Wegmueller Dairy Farm to highlight what is being done to address issues in agriculture. At this breakfast, Dan Wegmeuller (owner) and Dusty Williams (BTC) will share their insights on ways in which they have pivoted to incorporate new practices in this field.
Military Talent Attraction Program
Another organization that has taken a creative approach to workforce solutions is Mission Wisconsin. The vision of Mission Wisconsin is to help employers connect with service members transitioning out of the military, spouses/life partners, and veterans through direct engagement. GCDC is partnering with Prosperity Southwest, the regional economic development organization, to host two virtual events in which Steve Janke, the executive director, will talk about ways in which businesses in our region can tap into this potential workforce. These events will take place on Aug. 22 from 1-2:30 p.m. and Sept. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Mitos Beitong, International Manpower (IMC)
IMC is another unique national organization that focuses on employee recruitment. IMC has recruited and staffed nurses and caregivers for more than a decade and maintains an A + rating from the Better Business Bureau, as well as an AAA+ with the Business Consumer Alliance. With the critical demand for manpower, IMC has expanded their services to help alleviate the stress and hardships businesses are facing today. After a successful outcome, IMC now staffs for all fields of work. Once again, GCDC is partnering with Prosperity Southwest to host a virtual event on Aug. 23 from 1-2:30 p.m. and Sept. 6 from 1-2:30 p.m. During these sessions, members of IMC will talk about success stories and ways in which our local businesses can utilize their services.
As our community continues to grapple with workforce shortages, these innovative approaches signal a shift in how we can collaborate to find solutions. It’s clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient; adaptability, flexibility, and a willingness to explore new avenues are key in overcoming this challenge.
If anyone is interested in attending or participating in any of the events and programs mentioned above, please contact Green County Development Corporation at 608-328-9452 or email us at gcdc@greencountydevelopment.com.
While we recognize that this issue will not be solved overnight, we hope that these programs provide valuable insights into how we can tackle workforce shortages and build a more resilient, dynamic, and diverse labor market for the future.
— Olivia Otte is the Executive Director of the Green County Development Corporation (GCDC). She can be reached at Olivia@greencountydevelopment.com, or by calling 608-328-9452.
