Workforce Training / Education
Recent Features
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Wisconsin is a Rising Force in Biohealth and Biopharma Manufacturing
With research strength, manufacturing depth, and a statewide workforce strategy, Wisconsin is positioning itself as a destination for biohealth and biopharma growth.
First Person: Tate Reeves, Governor of Mississippi
An examination of how Mississippi is structuring large industrial projects: maintaining excess power capacity, pre serving sites with utilities in place, and coordinating workforce development through a single entity to reduce timing gaps across infrastructure, permitting, and hiring.
Contributed Content
Where the Northeast Corridor Meets Its Match
Middlesex County, New Jersey is rewriting the economic development playbook — one relationship at a time.
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In Montgomery County, Maryland, Companies are Shaping the Next Generation of Discoveries
Home to one of the nation’s largest biopharma clusters, Montgomery County is positioning itself for the next era of life sciences innovation.
2026 Outlook: Biomanufacturing Isn’t Slowing — It’s Getting More Selective
What looks like a slowdown in biomanufacturing is better understood as a filter. Demand remains, but companies are moving more carefully — aligning new projects with production needs, regulatory realities, infrastructure capacity, and long-term.
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Laying the Groundwork for Success: Kentucky’s Speed-to-Market Initiatives Are Fueling Future Economic Growth
Kentucky’s Product Development Initiative is translating preparation into performance.
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Tennessee’s Aerospace & Defense Sector Is Scaling with Precision
From advanced testing infrastructure at Arnold Air Force Base to new manufacturing expansions in Morristown and Murfreesboro, Tennessee is aligning workforce, research and site readiness to support the next generation of aerospace and defense investment.
Phillip Morris International Starting Building Before Plans
How a factory went from an idea to operational in about two years.
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Oklahoma’s Competitive Edge: Low Cost, High Performance
A central U.S. location delivering cost stability, logistics reach and industry-focused workforce development.
Contributed Content
Montgomery County, Maryland: A Global Hub for Growth and Innovation
Just outside Washington, D.C., Montgomery County pairs one of the nation’s most educated workforces with federal research assets, transit-connected development, and a deep life sciences cluster poised for its next phase of expansion.
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Plugging into Kansas: Power, Policies and People Will Propel Data Centers
New nuclear innovation, forward-looking energy policy and workforce alignment position Kansas as a scalable partner for next-generation data center investment.
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Life Sciences Successes Validate Virginia’s Partnership-Focused Economic Development Model
Virginia’s life sciences surge in 2025 reflected years of coordinated workforce, education, and site readiness, attracting major investments from Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Merck through fast permitting and partnership-driven economic development.
Strategic Industries at the Crossroads: Defense, Aerospace, and Maritime Enter 2026
As industrial policy accelerated, the gap between ambition and execution widened: supply chain security, workforce clearance, and infrastructure bottlenecks revealed the unforgiving realities of building strategic industries at home.
The Workforce Bottleneck in America’s Manufacturing Revival
As investment surges, a thinning workforce forces companies to rethink where—and how—they build in America.
Editor's Note: The Year Site Selection Grew Up
Energy availability takes center stage as companies compete for grid capacity and rethink growth strategies
The Skilled Trades Are Ready for a Digital Future
AI is freeing skilled tradespeople to focus on craftsmanship, safety, and growth as labor pressures intensify.
What We’re Getting Wrong About Gen Z’s Future in the Skilled Trades
Employers must modernize their training programs if they want to attract and retain the next generation.
Workforce Is the New Incentive in Life Sciences
Companies choosing where to locate life sciences facilities are prioritizing talent pipelines and workforce adaptability.
Building the Nation's First AI-Ready Workforce
“Charm City” is forging technology partnerships to build an AI workforce equipped to serve every industry.
Laying the Future’s Foundation in Rowen
Georgia’s newest innovation district bets big on climate-ready infrastructure and long-term planning.
Reclaiming the Launchpad
How Mississippi is turning a federal legacy into a commercial space hub.
How Muskogee Aligned to Win a $1 Billion Lithium Refinery
Targeted infrastructure, homegrown workforce strategies, and transparent community engagement helped bring Stardust Power to town.
In Focus: AI Is Changing Incentives Math
Headcount-focused incentives punish evolving companies, payroll helps reward a different kind of growth.
Contributed Content
How Virginia Minimizes Risk for New Facilities
How shovel-ready sites and talent programs are helping Virginia win major manufacturing projects.
First Person: Brent Omdahl, SVP Government Affairs for Global Wafers
The EVP for Government Affairs at GlobalWafers shares insights on a $3.5 billion investment in Sherman, Texas, workforce development, and how the CHIPS Act has reshaped semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.
Contributed Content
Kansas Helping Transition Service Members, Families into New Careers
With innovative programs such as SkillBridge — and dedicated workforce development professionals at KANSASWORKS — Kansas is a strong player in assisting and placing veterans and their families into promising careers.
Why Workforce Readiness Can’t Wait
The training program for the new facility can no longer be delayed until the new facility is nearing completion. It should be instituted the day after the site selection decision is announced
Contributed Content
Tennessee’s Bold Investment in Nuclear Innovation and Workforce
Strengthening its nuclear ecosystem with major investments in workforce training, advanced research, and industry growth.
Around the Horn: Incentives and Workforce Development with Amy Gerber and Kathy Mussio
Area Development's Andrew Greiner speaks with economic development incentives experts Amy Gerber of Cushman & Wakefield and Kathy Mussio of Atlas Insight. Together, they discuss the evolving landscape of tax incentives, the shift toward workforce.
Run a Job Task Analysis
Use this analysis to address skills gaps and boost retention.
Driving the Future of Domestic Battery Recycling: A Conversation with Steven Wu, COO of ABTC
In this exclusive conversation with Area Development, Steven Wu, the newly minted Chief Operating Officer of American Battery Technology Company (ABTC), discusses ABTC’s strategy to play a pivotal role in the U.S. domestic supply chain.
The Workforce Factor: How States Are Competing to Build Tomorrow's Talent
States with top programs share a few elements that make them standout.
Industries Look for Employees in Nontraditional Spaces Amid Labor Shortage
Employers turn to untapped talent pools to address workforce gaps.
Brooklyn Navy Yard’s CNC Training Fuels Its Resurgence
Workforce investments drive modern manufacturing innovation.
St. Louis Aerospace Sector Takes Flight with $5 Billion in Investments and New Task Force
Mound City emerges as a hub for aerospace investments and jobs.
The Cost of Labor and Workforce Skills Necessary for the Transition to an Electrified Auto Industry
Why executives must prioritize workforce skills for the electric vehicle transition.
