FUTURE NEO

Focusing on Unique Transformations Using Resources Effectively

Welcome to the Lorain County Workforce Investment Board’s application to the Department of Labor’s WIRED competition. Here, you will be able to review the full application, along with many other resources associated with the effort.

As you will see, the proposed project will include the combined efforts of more than 80 partners across 16 counties throughout Northeast Ohio, including Workforce Investment Boards, institutions of higher education, representatives of the local K-12 systems of education, workforce development organizations, business and industry and Chambers of Commerce.

We are pleased to present this collaborative effort to help transform the economies of the region. We envision a four-pronged approach: work to stabilize the legacy manufacturing sector through technology transfer; support new and emerging high-tech high wage companies using the Edison Incubator system and other entitles providing key resources and supports to entrepreneurs; stimulate increased activity in the bioscience-based businesses taking shape in the polymer, agricultural and medical fields; and, work with local and county government leaders to support their role to connect workforce and economic development and education through strategic resource allocation. We believe that, with Northeast Ohio representing the largest interconnected corridor of business, education and public sector enterprises, we can produce significant changes in the workforce and economic development systems that will increase the region’s ability to compete on the world stage.

As strong as we believe this proposal to be, we are also committed to continued pursuit of committed partnerships with organizations that, for schedule and procedural reasons, were unable to make a formal commitment within the timeframe allotted for response to the application deadlines. We know that there is wide interest and willingness in the kind of collaborative initiative this proposal represents, and we will continue to work with leaders in state and local government to bring these concepts to their full reality.

We stand ready to work to ensure that this effort represents the best possible strategy for the people of Northeast Ohio and the State.

Sincerely,

Frank DeTillio
Lorain County Workforce Investment Board Chair