The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is inviting organizations to join a national network of public-private partners to support rural workforce development and skills management.
USDA's Rural Development Innovation Center created the Rural Workforce Innovation Network (RWIN) initiative to enable rural partners to share solutions to complex issues, identify available resources, and increase access to workforce opportunities. The network will collaborate to ensure that rural workers have access to training that aligns with the skills employers need.
To indicate your interest in joining the network, please email RD.Innovation@osec.usda.gov by August 31, 2018.
Your letter of interest should be no longer than two pages. It should include your organization's name, contact information, and its past and present contributions, which should include one or more of the following workforce development interests:
- Use of the labor market and data to drive strategies;
- Public-private collaboration to attract employers and define workforce requirements;
- Workforce readiness and training;
- Apprenticeships and job placements;
- Recruitment and retention;
- Sector-based best practices related to the workforce (e.g., veterans, telecommunications, water, manufacturing, healthcare, etc.); and
- Succession planning, including strategies such as worker cooperatives.
Rural Workforce Innovation Network members will be announced in September.
Questions related to the new Rural Workforce Innovation Network may be directed to the Rural Development Innovation Center.