First Regional Future of Talent Summit Breeds Hope, Enthusiasm for Region
President, Mountain Gateway Community College; Frank Shushok Jr., Ph.D., President, Roanoke College; Kirk Cox, President, Virginia Business Higher Education Council; Robert H. Sandel, Ph.D.
President, Virginia Western Community College; Mirta Martin, Ph.D., President, Ferrum College
On Thursday, March 7, policymakers, higher education leadership, C-suite executives, and workforce development and talent attraction professionals gathered at Roanoke College to address a major challenge: keeping our educated talent here in the Roanoke Region. The Roanoke Regional Partnership, Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board, and Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council have been working on the talent attraction, retention, and development fields for years and recognize the gaps in the talent and workforce pipelines. Working together, they developed this one-day program to catch everyone up to speed about regional efforts that are in place, the gaps that still exist, and the best practices for aligning higher education outcomes with employer needs.
Too often, students from the region’s colleges and universities leave upon graduation. When localities across the country are fighting for quality talent, the Roanoke Region must work to retain these people. Luckily, our regional stakeholders are taking an active, collaborative role in these efforts.
“This new reality gives us the opportunity to design a new, collaborative, integrated knowledge community that not only develops those who already call here home – but attracts talent from those communities who have taken their eye off the ball,” Dr. Frank Shushok, Jr., Roanoke College President, noted. “None of the ideas get deployed into action unless we’re coordinated, connected, and committed… We want to help make Southwest Virginia an economic powerhouse, a community where people find purpose and well-being.”
The Day
Future of Talent Summit attendees enjoyed coffee and refreshments while networking with one another as well as regional organizations. Following that, they heard from former Virginia House of Delegates Speaker and President of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council Kirk Cox. Cox spoke of the value of quality education and the importance of talent pathways, internship opportunities, and strategic partnerships.
Next, Dr. Shushok hosted the “Higher Education Leadership Panel: The Intersection of Industry and Education” comprising presidents from Mountain Gateway Community College, Virginia Western Community College, Ferrum College, and Radford University. This illuminating discussion showcased the work these institutions are doing to make education more accessible as well as partnerships that allow students to receive on-the-job training while earning a degree and a paycheck.
After a lunch break, attendees could participate in one of four optional lunch-and-learn sessions. From employer talent-pipeline success stories and building talent attraction brands to creating talent pathways and recruitment and retention best practices, experts shared their knowledge and experience with attendees to help with talent and workforce needs.
The Outcomes
Attendees were buzzing with excitement throughout the event. Several times organizers were thanked for bringing all these players together and facilitating these conversations. Providing real-world examples of success while also sharing the challenges each entity faces, leaders left with takeaways they could implement immediately to fill the gaps.
The Future of Talent Summit is an important first step in aligning higher education and industry in our region. When these two entities partner together, we have seen first-hand how it elevates the entire region. These conversations and partnerships directly benefit both employers and schools. When these two entities are aligned, our region wins the fight for talent.
A survey for participants is still circulating, and organizers encourage attendees, speakers, and partners to provide feedback. It was an incredibly successful first year; however, there is always room for growth, and organizers are interested in other challenges employers would like to address next. Stay tuned in the next few weeks for videos of the individual lunch-and-learn sessions, and follow @Get2KnowNoke to continue the talent attraction conversation.