SWLI Agenda
Agenda for the 2025 Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative
Developing a regional skilled workforce requires well-informed leaders on topics such as economics, government, education and training, data analytics and system building. The Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative will introduce participants to these topics and their role in developing a regional workforce ecosystem.
The Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative was designed by those in workforce development, economic development, industry, government and others to help enhance the workforce development profession by providing leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed today while preparing them for what may come tomorrow. Course certification is provided by the Workforce Leadership Institute.
The following agenda is subject to change.
Dates:
Tuesday, April 29 – Friday, May 2
Tuesday, April 29
Learning outcomes:
- Understand the broad scope of federal investment in workforce development.
- Understand North Carolina’s workforce and economic development priorities.
- Understand the expectations of leadership and “my” style tendencies.
| Time | Session | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions | Sarah Hall, Director, Institute for Emerging Issues Ron Painter, Principal, Forbes Field Associates, LLC |
| 9:45 a.m. | Session 1: Introduction to Workforce Development with a Focus on the Public System | Melanie Anderson, Senior Associate, Forbes Field Associates, LLC |
| 10:30 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:45 a.m. | Session 1 Continued | |
| Noon | Session 2: North Carolina’s Workforce and Economic Development Priorities Lunch | Austin Rouse, Director of Business Recruitment, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Jordan Whichard, Chief Deputy Secretary, NC Department of Commerce |
| 1:15 p.m. | Session 3: Understanding Leadership | Debra Giordano, CEO & Principal Consultant, DLG Strategic Synergy Solutions, LLC |
| 3 p.m. | Break | |
| 3:15 p.m. | Session 3 Continued | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Open Discussion: How Workforce Policy Can Drive Economic Mobility | |
| 5 p.m. | Adjourn |
Wednesday, April 30
Learning outcomes:
- Identify and track regional labor markets and skilling efforts; develop a “story” told by the data.
- Identify the process & players in a region who are principal players in skill development.
- Identify current funding and gaps, and how to fund skill development in a region.
| Time | Session | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. | Session 4: Ideal Team Player Reflection | |
| 9:45 a.m. | Session 5: Data and Metrics | Erica Dickinson, Director of Customer Success, Lightcast (virtual) Jonathan Guarine, Economist, NC Department of Commerce Labor & Economic Analysis Division |
| 10:30 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:45 a.m. | Session 5 Continued | |
| 11:30 a.m. | Open Discussion: Leading with Data: Balancing Insight with Human Judgment | |
| Noon | Lunch | |
| 1:15 p.m. | Session 6: Process of Skill Development | Vincent Ginski, Director of Workforce Competitiveness, NC Chamber Foundation Sheree Utash, Ed.D., President WSU Tech (virtual) |
| 2:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 3 p.m. | Session 7: Financing Skill Development | Annie Izod, Ph.D., Executive Director, NCWorks Commission Jake Segal, Managing Director, Social Finance (virtual) |
| 4:30 p.m. | Open Discussion: Skills-Based Hiring | |
| 5 p.m. | Adjourn |
Thursday, May 1
Learning outcomes
- Map the challenges in/to the workforce development system, including external factors
- Develop/identify the dynamics at play in the region and develop a strategic plan going forward
- Understand ways through Bylaws and MOUs to manage a board or task force.
- Identify an issue and its path to public discussion and action.
- Understand how an economist evaluates “talent” issues.
| Time | Session | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. | Ideal Team Player Reflection | |
| 9:15 a.m. | Session 8: Challenges Ahead for Workforce Development | Charlie Terrell, Strategy Manager/Public Sector, Accenture (virtual) John Quinterno, Founder and Principal, South by North Strategies, LLC |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:30 a.m. | Session 8 Continued | |
| 11 a.m. | Session 9: Community and Board Dynamics | Pat Sturdivant, Capital Area Workforce Development Board Tom White, Director, Economic Development Partnership, NC State University Jamie Gravett, Vice Chair and Associate Director; David Peete, Chair; Rachel Mrad, Treasurer and Executive Director, Washington Forrest Foundation (virtual) |
| 12:30 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1:30 p.m. | Session 10: Process of Public Policy | Melanie Anderson, Senior Associate, Forbes Field Associates, LLC Ron Painter, Principal, Forbes Field Associates, LLC John Stanford, Managing Partner, Prism Group (virtual) |
| 2:45 p.m. | Break | |
| 3 p.m. | Session 11: Introduction to an Economists View of Labor | Michael Walden, Ph.D., President, Walden Economic Consulting; Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus, NC State University Tom White, Director, Economic Development Partnership, NC State University |
| 4:30 p.m. | Open Discussion: Developing Core Leadership Skills for a Changing Workforce | |
| 5 p.m. | Adjourn |
Friday, May 2
Learning outcomes
- Develop an understanding of the tools for forecasting. What? When? How?
- Identify tangible actions to bring back to your region.
| Time | Session | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. | Session 12: Forecasting | Ron Painter, Forbes Field Associates, LLC |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:30 a.m. | Session 13: Promising Strategies | Ken Allen, Director of Business Leadership, NCWorks Commission Melanie Anderson, Forbes Field Associates, LLC Stephanie Deese, Ed.D., Executive Director, NC Association of Workforce Development Boards |
| Noon | Adjourn |
