The Board of Directors of the Hamilton County Economic Development Corporation (HCEDC) voted earlier this month to shift the organization’s focus from traditional economic development initiatives – such as lead generation and business attraction – to attracting and retaining skilled workers for new and growing companies.
HCEDC was formed in 1992 to attract new business and promote entrepreneurship across the county. Since then, it has made significant contributions to the county’s economic development both directly and in partnership with cities and towns throughout the county.
However, as they have grown, the cities of Westfield, Noblesville, Carmel and Fishers have added experienced economic development professionals and implemented their own strategies to attract new business investment and jobs in their respective communities. Rather than duplicating these efforts, HCEDC will now shift its focus to attracting and retaining a talented workforce with the right skills to fill these new jobs, something business and civic leaders regard as key to building sustainable communities.
“As competition for new businesses increased, the [HCEDC] board recognized that the county’s low unemployment rate would be a challenge, especially in high-demand industries including innovation-based manufacturing, technology and hospitality,” said Tom Dickey, HCEDC board chairman. “Rather than duplicating efforts, HCEDC’s new focus on attracting and retaining a talented and skilled workforce will complement city economic development efforts and help position Hamilton County for continued economic success.”
A newly created job description for a Director of Marketing, Economic Development will be posted later this summer. This position will be responsible for developing integrated marketing, web content and promotional strategies to position Hamilton County as a great place to work, learn, live and invest.
There’s already is a lot to promote in the area. Not only is Hamilton County consistently included as a best place to live and raise a family, its communities have some of the highest high school graduation rates in the state. More than 56 percent of the population hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. For teens who choose not to pursue a four-year college degree, local businesses and school districts have begun piloting programs for workforce training and apprenticeship opportunities in a variety of technology, manufacturing and skills-focused careers.
The HCEDC is funded through private contributions and county plat fees. To leverage this limited budget, the board of directors selected Hamilton County Tourism as its new management contract partner to oversee the new HCEDC employee. The board will continue to oversee this new direction.
“We are excited to join forces with an organization dedicated to promoting Hamilton County’s ongoing investment in education, business investments and talent attraction,” said Brenda Myers, Hamilton County Tourism president/CEO. “We already support our communities by focusing on visitor attraction in key markets. Combining our team’s skills with a dedicated resource to help promote investment, learning opportunities and talent attraction will go one step further in realizing a successful future for the county.”
As part of its contract, Hamilton County Tourism will provide office space and equipment pro bono and handle payroll and benefits on behalf of the HCEDC. Its marketing and communications team will work closely with the newly hired staff member to create content, marketing, and communications programs to raise awareness of workforce development efforts and quality of life in the county. The two organizations already share a brand family.