Workforce essential component of successful economic development strategy

February 2, 2022

Caitlyn Ngare

A robust talent pool is essential to a successful economic development and retention strategy. Six years ago, the Claremore Industrial and Economic Development Authority (CIEDA) shifted its focus to emphasize developing a strong, business-centered workforce program. Since its inception, CIEDA's talent development initiatives have received global awards and recognition by the International Economic Development Council as an industry leader in eliminating barriers to employment and providing companies with a strong talent pipeline.

A crucial component of our efforts is the relationship with each school district in Rogers County, regional higher education institutions and career tech systems serving the area. We would not have the success we are witnessing today without collaboration from our workforce, business, and community partners. Student-based apprenticeship and internship programs, such as the Learn and Earn initiative, provide innovative solutions to meet the community's growing workforce demand. CIEDA staff regularly visits classrooms throughout Rogers County to educate students on the availability of career opportunities located within their own backyard, in addition to the educational pathways needed to reach them. 

As Rogers County and Northeast Oklahoma are poised for significant growth in the coming years, a primary focus for our team is guaranteeing our business partners have access to the talent needed to find success within our region. One of my primary job responsibilities is to partner with area companies to fill positions and provide key data statistics to help ensure our region offers competitive pay and benefits to draw a healthy workforce. 

Today, our region is facing record-low unemployment rates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Rogers County sits at 1.8 percent unemployment and has a labor force participation rate of 60.3 percent. This means that our existing workforce is limited and it is essential that we work to attract new talent and connect those not currently active in the workplace with job opportunities. Another crucial component of our platform is connecting Rogers County citizens to childcare, education, housing, and many other resources in order to assist in removing barriers to reentering the labor force.

CIEDA provides job seekers an interactive online platform to search for job opportunities throughout Claremore on our website, growclaremore.com. In addition, this job portal provides free job advertisement for area businesses. If you are interested in exploring the available careers within our community or promoting your open positions, please contact me at caitlyn@growclaremore.com or call 918-283-8242. 

Workforce development is intertwined in every aspect of CIEDA's economic development efforts. I look forward to introducing our talent programs to you over the coming months and highlighting the many career possibilities that lie within Rogers County. 

Best regards, 

Caitlyn Ngare 

Talent Development Specialist