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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Skilled Labor / STEM

Navigating the Digital Transformation

Courtney Dunbar, Site Selection & Economic Development Leader, Burns & McDonnell and Matt Olson, Chief Innovation Officer, Burns & McDonnell (Q1 2024)

Courtney Dunbar, site selection lead at Burns & McDonnell, recently asked Matt Olson, Burns & McDonnell’s chief innovation officer, about how companies are navigating the digital transformation and its potential of fostering sustainable, resilient manufacturing practices. More

In Focus: Rethinking Industrial Site Selection: A Retail Perspective

Evan L. Stair, Managing Director, Analytics, Vista Site Selection (Q1 2024)

The idea of putting the needs of the potential workforce first when making the location decision mirrors retail’s tradition of prioritizing customer satisfaction. More

Applied Learning Fuels Investment in Workforce Training Facilities

Brent Amos, Principal, Cooper Carry and Mark Jensen, Cooper Carry (Q1 2024)

With tailwinds such as government incentives and changing vocational preferences, workforce training facilities are poised for continued growth throughout the U.S. More

Editor’s Note: The Worker Shortage - A New Reality

Geraldine Gambale, Editor, Area Development Magazine (Q4 2023)

With a worker shortage that seems destined to persist, employers are turning to AI/automation and upskilling, while also realizing that comprehensive immigration reform is necessary to fill gaps in the labor force. More

Elite Workforce, Strategic Investments Help Virginia Score Major Wins

Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Q4 2023)

From data centers to vertical farming to banking, a cross-section of industry is continuing to choose to locate and expand in Virginia, a state that provides them with a top-notch workforce. More

Clustering Distribution Near Manufacturing Operations: An Old Idea Gaining New Traction

Bruce Herbert, Strategic Advisor, TMX Transform (Q4 2023)

Real estate, labor, and transportation needs must be considered by companies considering a clustering strategy if they are to reap its full benefits. More

Three Key Location Factors for F&B Industrial Users to Consider

Bob West, Vice President of Food & Beverage, Industrial, Ryan Companies (Q4 2023)

Workforce skills and availability, the need for speed to market, and the condition of existing infrastructure are all key factors in food and beverage companies’ location decisions. More

The Importance of Understanding Labor Issues in Making the Location Decision

Michael J. Ball, Partner, Vorys and Michael C. Griffaton, Of Counsel, Vorys (Workforce Q4 2023)

Site selectors should assess a potential location’s workforce with an eye to identifying areas of concern that might make it open to unionization efforts. More

Look Beyond the Now When Considering Workforce Priorities

Kevin Major, Managing Director, Americas Consulting, Labor Analytics, CBRE (Workforce Q4 2023)

Industrial site selectors must consider not only a prospective location’s current labor pool but also its recruiting reach and unanticipated future demands and costs of a particular market. More

Immigration: A Potential Fix for Labor Shortages?

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Workforce Q4 2023)

Reforms to U.S. immigration policy may help to supply more of the workers needed by companies that might otherwise choose to locate in other countries. More

Insights on Staffing and the Location Decision

Christine Chandler, President, AdvantaStaff and Lovora Brown, Director of Operations, AdvantaStaff (Workforce Q4 2023)

When selecting a new site, companies today confront an ever-changing landscape of factors to consider, from site and facility planning to workforce analytics and training. Christine Chandler, president of AdvantaStaff, and Lovora Brown, AdvantaStaff’s director of Operations, who bring a combined 50 years’ experience in the manufacturing and distribution industry, provide their perspective on workforce issues that are important to companies’ location decisions. More

After the Ribbon Is Cut: Shifting the Talent Strategy to Retention & Upskilling

Vince Giovannini, Senior Consultant, Deloitte Consulting LLP (Workforce Q4 2023)

By upskilling its workforce, a company can improve its overall productivity, while positively impacting employee satisfaction and retention. More

Technology’s Influence on Workforce Development

Steve Carlos, Senior Director, Consulting, JLL and Amber Schiada, Head of Work Dynamics Research, Americas, JLL (Workforce Q4 2023)

How can a company develop an analytics-focused talent strategy to meet the needs of AI, specialized skillsets, automation, and beyond? More

How to Factor in Labor Needs While Selecting a Site for Expansion

Sam Moses, Mark Simmons, and Azad Khan; Business Expansion and Location Solutions Team; Parker Poe (Workforce Q4 2023)

With today’s low unemployment rates, companies must consider how they will fulfill their workforce needs early on in the site selection process. More

2023 Top States Workforce Development Programs

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2023)

Having a workforce with the right skills is an integral part of being a Top State for Doing Business — that’s why training programs are so important. More

Front Line: Satisfying the Semiconductor Industry’s Workforce Needs

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2023)

As the semiconductor industry announces plans to grow domestic production, it is facing a workforce shortage. More

Think Outside the Box with Your Workforce Solutions

Dianne Jones, Managing Director, Business and Economic Incentives, JLL (Q3 2023)

Today’s employees want to maintain their quality of life, including hybrid work, well-being support, and competitive pay; employers need to creatively meet their needs in order to keep them from jumping ship. More

Reviewing the Turbulent Ride, as Aerospace Looks Optimistically Ahead

Liesel Schmader, Senior Consultant, Deloitte and Alex Dunlap, Senior Consultant, Deloitte (2023 Auto/Aero Site Guide)

As aerospace companies continue to rebound and evolve, they need to establish their unique goals in order to make an informed and data-driven location decision. More

First Person: Labor Crunch in the Construction Industry

Joseph Natarelli, National Leader, Construction Services, Marcum LLP (Q2 2023)

The construction industry continues to face a skilled labor shortage, with worker scarcity worsening since the beginning of the pandemic. With this in mind, Area Development’s staff editor Lisa Bastian asked Joseph Natarelli, Marcum’s National Construction Leader, to share his perspective on this issue. More

Responding to the New Reality: Robots Vs. Humans

Katie Culp, CEO, KSM Location Advisors (Q2 2023)

As companies weigh the benefits and challenges of increasing automation, local leaders must also evolve their incentives programs. More

Capitalizing on Washington, DC’s Economic Opportunities

Washington DC Economic Partnership (Q2 2023)

Companies looking to expand their operations will find the talent, funding, and support they need in the DC region. More

In Focus: Today’s Investments Inspiring Tomorrow’s Skilled Workforce Leaders

Alison Neuman, North America Workforce Development Program Manager , Johnson Controls (Q2 2023)

Investment in workforce training initiatives is essential not only to individual businesses but also to economic development on a local and national scale. More

Key Steps to Satisfying Workforce Needs

Andi Brownwell, Managing Director, Maxis Advisors (Q2 2023)

Businesses can fulfill their labor requirements by creating a positive company culture where employees are not only well compensated but also provided with training and growth opportunities. More

Is a Flurry of Fads Shaping Economic Development Policy?

Ben Worrell , Principal, McGuire Sponsel (Q2 2023)

Chasing the latest flurry of fads may not help business leaders or the communities in which they locate achieve long-term success. More

Nearshoring — North America’s Next Factory

Maribel Gaytán, Strategic Consultant, Cushman & Wakefield (Q2 2023)

Its strong maquiladora program, skilled labor, and favorable geographic location have made Mexico a top choice for nearshoring to the U.S. market. More

Raising Local Labor Force Participation

Louise Anderson, Director of Research, International Economic Development Council (Q2 2023)

In an attempt to help businesses find the workers they need, economic development organizations are working with community partners to reduce barriers to work through a mix of strategies. More

The Value of Job Ads Data in the Location Decision

Greg Chmura, Chief Quality Office, Chmura Economics (Q1 2023)

Non-traditional data aggregated from job ads contain a plethora of insights for assessing a possible location. More

How Are Economic Developers Partnering to Solve Workforce Challenges?

Louise Anderson, Director of Research, International Economic Development Council (Q1 2023)

Companies can expect to find help from forward-thinking economic development organizations in fulfilling their labor force requirements. More

The Great Migration of Workers

Ben Worrell , Principal, McGuire Sponsel (Workforce Q4 2022)

Companies must understand how a shift in workforce development and remote work will impact their location decisions. More

Shifting Priorities: How Companies Are Navigating the Post-2020 Hiring Landscape

Chris Volney, Managing Director, Americas Consulting, CBRE (Workforce Q4 2022)

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the overall talent landscape, with the competitive market now driving companies to look at smaller less established markets to satisfy their workforce needs. More

Unlocking Labor Analytics

Lauren Berry, Senior Manager, Location Analysis and Incentives, Maxis Advisors (Workforce Q4 2022)

While assessing a prospective location’s workforce may begin with a review of the data, a qualitative evaluation can provide new information not easily apparent from any desktop research. More

Bright Spots of the Office Sector

Lu Chen, Associate Director of Research and Senior Economist, Moody's Analytics CRE (Q4 2022)

The post-pandemic remote working trend has resulted in “emerging” or “other” metros performing better than the more established tech markets. More

Three Big Challenges Facing the Food & Beverage Industry

Stephen Gray, President & CEO, Gray, Inc. (Q4 2022)

While every industry — and everyone — has faced disruptions over the last couple years, the food and beverage industry has been disrupted on an almost unimaginable scale. More

Front Line: Taking a Deep Dive into Suppliers’ Labor Force

Dan Emerson, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q4 2022)

Heightened supply chain visibility will let manufacturers know if their suppliers are using forced labor, which puts them at risk for legal penalties as well as damage to their brand. More

2022 Top States Workforce Development Programs

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q3 2022)

Companies across industry sectors are having trouble finding all the talent they need, which makes workforce development programs even more vital as a location factor. More

A Fast Track to Filling the Workforce Pipeline

Michael Zitz, Special Assistant to the President for Media & Community Relations, Germanna Community College (Q3 2022)

A Virginia community college demonstrates how workforce training programs as well as accelerated degree programs are being used to help close the skills gap in critical industries. More

First Person: Global Trade and Development Face Big Challenges in 2022

Robin van Puyenbroeck, Executive Director, Business Development, World Trade Centers Association (Q3 2022)

Area Development’s editor recently asked Robin van Puyenbroeck, executive director of business development for the WTCA, about trends in global trade and investment, top challenges, supply chain woes, and how to prepare for the next global crisis. More

Explosive Growth of Life Sciences Sector Comes with Challenges

Deb Boucher, Vice Chair, Cushman & Wakefield and Jason D'Orlando, Senior Managing Director, Cushman & Wakefield (Q3 2022)

Although opportunities abound, companies in the life sciences sector are also facing numerous challenges — from accessing skilled labor to deciding whether to build out or retrofit existing space. More

2022 Gold & Silver Shovel Awards Project of the Year: FinTech Leader Fiserv Adding Jobs in New Jersey

Steve Kaelble, Staff Editor, Area Development (Q2 2022)

Fiserv will attract top talent to its N.J. hub by partnering with local universities, including Rutgers University – Newark. More

People Power: How Talent Data Is Advancing Location-Based Decisions

Ashkahn Pajoohi, Senior Managing Director, Global Corporate Services, Newmark (Q2 2022)

Companies that embrace a talent-first approach using deep-mined data and analytics are more likely to attract the best and brightest, which can, in turn, help unlock the full value of their real estate portfolios. More

Exclusive Research