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The phrase “Workforce Development” has become a hot topic over the past few years as Minnesota’s, and really America’s, need for more qualified employees has come sharply into focus. Demographers have been warning for years about the “silver tsunami,” a wave of baby boomers that would hit retirement age and exit the workforce, creating job openings in every sector of the American economy. The silver tsunami is currently cresting, and many employers are striving to figure out how to replace and train key roles within their organizations. Workforce Development, Inc (WDI) is pleased to be offering a free 2023 Workforce Forum event on April 27 for organizations in Southeast Minnesota interesting in learning new ways to grow and strengthen their workforce from nationally recognized experts in the field.

The first keynote presenter will be Ron Painter, President of the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). Ron has been the president of NAWB since 2009 and in his role, he traverses the county seeking to identify and elevate cutting edge Career Pathways and human capital development programing. He was the founding CEO of the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board in Pittsburgh, PA. As the President of NAWD, Ron represents and advocates for over 550 Workforce Development Boards across the United States, including our board in Southeast Minnesota.

The second keynote presenter will be Gerry Hoeffner, president of Personnel Dynamics Consulting Group based in Florida. Gerry specializes in corporate culture enhancement and team development. He has been running the Best Places to Work program for WDI for over a dozen years and enjoys working with WDI and his friends in Minnesota. Gerry is known throughout the U.S. for his high-energy presentations and his straightforward approach to aligning your organization’s strategy with people strategy. He has a passion for the study of human behavior and his experience in manufacturing, distribution, service, hospitality and sales, provides a broad spectrum of insight and knowledge to any organization seeking to learn how to apply his principles to their organization.

The event will conclude with the presentation of the Best Places to Work Award Ceremony. Over a dozen businesses located throughout Southeast Minnesota will be recognized for their commitment to being an excellent employer. These businesses are selected based on qualifying metrics in the categories of pay, benefits, training, retention, and innovative employee engagement programming.

If you are a local business owner, human resource professional, or someone working in the workforce development space, we would love to have you join us at the 2023 Workforce Forum in Rochester, MN. Registration for this event is free and can be completed at www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-workforce-development-forum-tickets-519989551747

Mike Postma is an area manager for Workforce Development, Inc.