Nearly 70 Agencies Join Effort to Win the "Job Wars of the Future"
Research Triangle Region, N.C. - The Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP) announced that 26 of 30 action items called for in the regional competitiveness strategy have launched with the help of nearly 70 partner organizations across the 13-county Research Triangle Region.
"This plan is barely two years old and we are already exceeding all of our expectations," said Charles A. Hayes, president and CEO of the RTRP, which coordinates economic development for the region. "This effort would not be possible without the extraordinary support, knowledge and drive of nearly 70 like-minded organizations who share a vision and commitment to shape our region's economic future."
The regional strategy, called "Staying on Top: Winning the Job Wars of the Future," is a five-year, $5 million plan to increase the region's competitive position, create 100,000 jobs and boost employment in all 13 counties.
Implementing organizations, called "institutional partners," met Feb. 22 for a quarterly meeting to report on implementation progress.
Among the highlights:
- Kerr-Tar Hub Development Begins - The multi-county economic development effort for Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties officially launched in December with the signing of an interlocal agreement. In it, the counties agree to share costs and revenues across county lines to create a specialized industrial park in one county that will create jobs and investment for the region as a whole. The N.C. General Assembly has provided $4 million to support this innovative rural economic development initiative. The Kerr-Tar Regional Economic Development Corp., the nonpro
fit formed to own and develop the hub, is working to buy or control the hub property, develop the marketing plan, and coordinate workforce development resources for companies that locate in the hub.
- Cluster Networks Expand - Participation in cluster networks for Advanced Medical Care, Biological Agents & Infectious Diseases and Informatics industries climbed by nearly 30 percent in recent months. A survey of cluster members showed that nearly 90 percent believe the networks enhance overall positioning and image of their cluster and their ability to acquire new and important information. Seventy percent said overall collaboration in the cluster has increased as a result of the network The three cluster networks launched in 2005 in an effort to promote interaction among companies and researchers in those industries that will lead to innovation and, ultimately, new companies and jobs. Network members have identified a range of public policy issues they hope to see folded into a regional legislative agenda for business that will be developed this spring.
- West Coast Air Service Announced -Delta Airlines in January announced new daily non-stop flight between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Los Angeles International - the first major announcement of the region's aggressive marketing effort to expand air service to destinations desired by regional businesses. Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina funded a 2005 survey of business leaders to identify the destinations they most wanted to attract, and to market the region and routes to carriers. Efforts continue to preserve and expand the region's existing air routes and attract new service to other desired locations, particularly the West Coast and Denver. Regional business travelers can support the initiative by using Delta's new RDU-LA service, demonstrating the region's value to air carriers.
- Tourism Bureaus Align Marketing to Support Regional
Economic Development - A new initiative to align the efforts of regional convention and visitors bureaus with economic development efforts is taking shape. Durham Convention & Visitors (CVB) Bureau President & CEO Reyn Bowman and Greater Raleigh CVB President & CEO David Heinl reported they are well on the way to recruiting representatives from all 13 counties to participate. A tourism action plan calls for helping attract more events that are related to the region's 10 targeted industry clusters; expanding hospitality workforce training programs; developing a comprehensive inventory of regional attractions; and coordinating brand marketing related to tourism.
- Workforce Development Agencies Focus on Regional Collaboration - The workforce development agencies that serve the Research Triangle Region will convene in coming months to determine how they can better align their programs and services to support the regional economic development strategy and its businesses. The goal is to develop an action plan for how they can work regionally to better support the region's companies, particularly those in the clusters targeted by the Staying on Top plan.
- New Regional International Strategy Launches - The region's new international strategy launched in January with a call to align the efforts of all the many agencies that work in the area of international investment, including public and private institutions that focus on international commerce, corporate partners and universities and community colleges. RTRP has hired Doug Aitkin to develop a three-year international marketing plan for the region and serve as the point person to coordinate regional collaboration in this area.
Meanwhile, RTRP expects to announce results of a new life sciences study in April along with recommendations for expanding this important cluster in the region. Development of a new regional leadership development effort is expect
ed to begin later in 2006.
RTRP will report on the region's economic health and its progress implementing the regional strategy at the 2006 State of the Research Triangle Region event May 25.
RTRP is a public/private partnership that promotes economic development for the 13-county region of North Carolina comprising Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties. It manages the regional competitiveness strategy, called "Staying on Top: Winning the Job Wars of the Future." For more information, visit www.researchtriangle.org. |
