Ada Jobs Foundation

Over the next 6 months, the Ada Jobs Foundation will be developing strategic plans and organizational procedures to guide our operations for the next 5 to 10 years. These strategies and procedures will assist staff and the board in developing a long-range vision, setting goals and creating mile-stones for evaluating our progress.

The world continues to become more competitive whether recruiting a new industry, retaining an existing employer or developing an adequate workforce. As pointed out in a recent conference session, we have moved into an innovation or knowledge based economy, but that doesn’t mean that we abandon our existing industries. We simply have to work together to adapt and become competitive in an ever changing environment. A speaker recently told an entrepreneurial class at East Central University that over 70% of all 5 year olds today will graduate from college with a degree that has yet to be established.

Steve Hendrickson of Boeing is the Chair of the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development. He cited the need for aerospace engineers in Oklahoma as a monumental problem for their industry. The problem grew over time and will take years to correct. He has asked his colleagues where they were 5 to 10 years ago when children are becoming interested in math and science. They cannot simply ask the universities to educate more engineers. Their efforts start in the middle and high schools.

The Governor’s Council is developing strategies to address several target areas of need. They are launching a Grow Oklahoma campaign which Ron Webb will explain in more detail at a December board meeting. Ron serves as a local and health care sector representative on the council. Click here to learn more information about Grow Oklahoma.

Our strategies for growth and development must reflect the desires and ideas of the community. In order to get the most community buy-in, we must maximize public participation in our planning process. If you have an issue or idea that you would like to pass along, please email it to me at msouthard@adaworks.org. I completely agree with Robert Rubin when he said, “the quality of the decision making process is more important than the outcome.” Community engagement is key to this strategy’s eventual success.