Partnering for Prosperity: Initiatives

• Business-Driven Talent Development
• Partnering with Public Education
• Existing Business Growth & Retention
• Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Incubation

Establish a business-driven talent development program via collaboration with our community and educational partners to provide an educated and trained workforce that is fully prepared to fulfill the workforce needs of our business and industry now and into the future; as well as establish a recruitment program to bring qualified and willing employees from across all industry segments to Etowah County.

1. Partner to maximize career technical education opportunities to meet existing workforce development pipeline gaps
   • Promote dual enrollment scholarships available to K12
   • Partner to grow Worlds of Work regional hands-on career fair through resources and participation
   • Expand Etowah Qualified Workforce Immersion Program(EQWIP), a day-long immersion program for educators to experience healthcare and manufacturing jobs first-hand
2. Lead identification and mapping of skills gaps and resources to maximize effectiveness in all partnerships
   • Develop a needs database based on input from area business and industry
   • Develop and deploy a “train-the-trainer” career readiness indicators program for area educators
   • Recruit and convene an advisory board of human resources professionals to advise as to solutions for ongoing needs and gaps in workforce
   • Identify and map career ladders for existing and future workforce
3. Lead the establishment of direct solutions to build workforce pipeline
   • Incorporate and promote career awareness for 12th graders component into annual Gadsden Area Hiring Fair
   • Convene partnerships to build pathways to full employment for displaced, underemployed and /or underprivileged populations
   • Recruit talent from outside of the region to fill specific skills gaps
4. Advocate for adequate resources to accommodate all individuals in all education programs with a focus on career technical
   • Identify and develop strategies to address career technical deficiencies/needs in equipment, facilities, and faculty
   • Provide solutions to business and industry needs through career technical advisory boards
   • Promote and partner to provide Leadership Skills certification programs, along with other professional development opportunities, to business and industry

• Increase Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT) Leadership Skills graduates by 25% from 155 annually to 195 annually by 2023, beginning in 2019
• 100% Advanced College Enrollment (ACE) Institute Scholarship funds available by Gadsden State Community College successfully awarded among high school 10th through 12th graders by 2020, beginning in 2019
• 100% participation of 8th and 12th graders in Worlds of Work, approximately 4,500 students, by 2020, beginning in 2019
• 1,600 teachers completing Etowah Qualified Workforce Immersion Program(EQWIP) and career readiness training by 2023, beginning in 2019
• Resource map for individuals re-entering workforce after extended absences related to addiction, incarceration and/or other similar situations by 2022, beginning in 2020

The Partnership with Public Education Initiative will identify opportunities and develop strategies to best support both the city and county system of public schools through the business and industry backing of the systems leadership; as well as to promote transformations that will allow for accelerated changes system-wide that will result in higher quality faculty, increase student performance, a rise in individual schools grading and improved overall perception of public schools in Etowah County.

1. Lead new, and enhance existing, leadership programs specific to K12 programming
   • Research and deploy leadership-based programming in 3rd-grade classrooms
   • Enhance Student Leadership Council program
2. Promote technology-based programming and opportunities in the classroom
   • Establish technology-based advisory committee to assist with curriculum for schools
   • Deploy a recognition program that identifies and celebrates innovation and technology in the classroom with award incentives
3. Lead partnership to assist in filling resource gaps in the classroom
   • Establish a Partners in Education program—a program that connects business and industry to classrooms to support resource needs
   • Advocate for specific items defined by superintendents that will have direct positive impact on test scores and college or career readiness
4. Convene K12, higher education and businesses to build pipelines for top quality educators
   • Promote Etowah County to new education graduates
   • Build partnership pipelines for career technical adjunct teachers

• 100% participation from all 11th grade classrooms throughout Etowah County in Student Leadership Council by 2019 and continue through 2023
• Annual award recognizing exceptional use of technology in the classroom with a $500 classroom incentive beginning in 2019 and continue through 2023
• Secure 20 new partnerships for classroom sponsorship from business and industry by 2020, beginning in 2019
• Host or participate in an annual program to attract new graduates in education to Etowah County by year-end 2019

As the lead organization, convene and form partnerships with business organizations of like-mind and the public sector to identify areas of opportunity/difficulty with the goal to develop strategies and execute programs that will result in the ability of our existing businesses to grow and thrive in Etowah County.

1. Promote and connect existing economic development activities throughout Etowah County
   • Advocate for pro-business initiatives that would promote growth and retention
   • Create and deploy business development speaker series
   • Partner with local economic development agencies to further their success
2. Lead small business support and promotion
   • Develop a year-round “Shop Small, Shop Local” campaign
   • Deploy an annual Small Business Week
   • Develop and deploy an annual Restaurant Week program
3. Lead quarterly opportunities to deepen relationships and develop critical feedback for ongoing guidance
   • Conduct quarterly Small Business “What Keeps You Up at Night?” roundtables
   • Conduct quarterly CEO Roundtables
   • Conduct quarterly Chamber “Pop-Ups” throughout county to deepen relationships throughout the county
4. Lead public policy advocacy for the business community, championing pro-business legislation, economic development and responsible infrastructure investment at all levels of government

• Craft an annual Legislative Agenda to support rural broadband and high-speed internet access, traffic infrastructure, pro-business regulation and ordinances by 2019
• Provide an annual small business “boot camp” and monthly training opportunity by 2019
• 60 roundtables conducted where common threads are collected and communicated with action plans to leverage positives and remedy challenges by 2023, beginning in 2019

To capitalize on the start-up and entrepreneurial spirit and talent in Etowah County, leaders of the Incubation/Entrepreneurial/Innovation initiative will focus on developing strategies and forming county-wide partnerships in order to best position individuals/entities for initial success and future growth throughout our region.

1. Partner to develop a business incubator
   • Convene feasibility and economic impact research team
   • Lead due diligence research of other Chambers that have successfully launched an incubator program to gather information and utilize best practices
   • Lead efforts to secure funding through both the public and private sector
2. Lead support mechanisms for technology programs and startups
   • Deploy free Chamber membership for entrepreneurs
   • Convene committee to establish Opportunity Zone funds
   • Host Alabama LaunchPad or similar startup competition and incentive program
   • Establish 501c3 in order to supply needed materials and programming and secure grants to support efforts
3. Advocate for entrepreneur-based/centered programming
   • Promote Jacksonville State University Entrepreneurism course
   • Lead a 5th grade entrepreneur fair program, county-wide
   • Lead research and deployment of a mobile application development contest by 2019

• Deploy annual Alabama LaunchPad program to build and grow start-up businesses by 2021, beginning in 2020
• Identify location and secure funding by Chamber or appropriate partner for incubator by 2023, beginning in 2019
• Conduct county-wide entrepreneur fair program for all 5th graders by 2020, beginning in 2019