Greater Gallup EDC Focuses on Building a Workforce for the Future

In the current competitive landscape, attracting top talent has never been more crucial for businesses and communities. With declining unemployment rates and increasingly selective job seekers, listing job openings is no longer sufficient. Communities like the City of Gallup and McKinley County must showcase the incredible inherent advantages of living and operating in their midst to help businesses draw in and retain top-tier talent. The Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation (GGEDC) is a critical organization dedicated to fostering regional workforce development. One essential aspect has been the Industrial Workforce Program (IWP).

The Industrial Workforce Program: Pioneering the Way in Workforce Attraction

The IWP equips residents with skills necessary for success in today's economy, serving as a model for strategically growing the workforce by nurturing a supportive and appealing environment for workers. Initially developed and run by GGEDC for three years, IWP is now a program of the Southwest Indian Foundation. The IWP tackles critical labor shortages by providing residents with fundamental training in construction, welding, automotive servicing, and other in-need trades skills.

The IWP offers participants a 12-week immersive program encompassing classroom learning and hands-on experience. Graduates are then placed in internships, pre-apprenticeships, or entry-level positions with local industrial employers like McKinley Paper, Murphy Builders, and Peabody’s El Segundo and Lee Ranch Mines. Alongside classroom instruction, participants gain real-world experience by contributing to projects such as constructing homes for low-income members of the Navajo Nation.

Employers can find more information about the program here. Job seekers in the construction industry can learn more here, while more details about the automotive program can be found here. 

This employer-driven initiative bridges gaps in the local workforce and offers residents life-changing opportunities. Local industry partners played a key role in developing the program’s structure, policies, and curriculum, ensuring the program addressed the key needs of the business community and its desired workforce. The program also provides training in career and life-building skills, including resume writing, interview preparation, professional etiquette and customer service, basic problem-solving, and personal financial management.  

In 2023, the IWP received national recognition, earning a Bronze Award for Excellence in Economic Development from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in the Best Use of Federal Economic Development Resources category, underscoring the IWP’s profound impact on the community.

Showcasing a community

Communities like the City of Gallup and McKinley County must showcase the incredible inherent advantages of living and operating in their midst to help businesses draw in and retain top-tier talent. Here are a few techniques that are critical to that effort. 

Nurture a vibrant community culture

Beyond finding a job, prospective residents yearn to be part of a community where they truly belong. To create this sense of belonging, communities must cultivate a rich culture that resonates with prospective residents through captivating community events, volunteer opportunities, family-friendly activities, and diverse interest-based organizations. By carefully curating these events and activities, community leaders can ensure they authentically represent the community's culture while identifying expansion opportunities.

Emphasize quality of life initiatives

A community's overall quality of life significantly influences its appeal to potential workers. Enhancing local parks, developing outdoor recreational areas, and investing in infrastructure enriches residents' daily lives and makes the community more enticing. Simple additions like playground equipment or ambitious endeavors such as creating extensive bike trails for fitness enthusiasts can bolster appeal to new talent and retain existing workers.

Share a unique community story

It's crucial to highlight what sets life in your community apart to attract workers. The most effective way to achieve this is by allowing current residents to share their personal experiences. Families and individuals can showcase what they adore about living in the area through blogs, videos, and social media posts. Firsthand accounts give potential newcomers a glimpse into what their lives could be like in the community. Authentic perspectives and diverse experiences craft a compelling narrative that resonates with potential workers, helping them envision a fulfilling future in the area.

Engage/involve businesses in community events

Building relationships and partnerships is vital in creating awareness among community members and businesses alike about their invaluable interdependence in growing a healthy community and economy. This public and private sector engagement is the key underpinning in GGEDC's annual economic roundtables, which focus on educating and engaging broad cross sections of the public in resolving specific challenges to move the community forward.

“We continually endeavor to find ways to engage existing businesses and business partners in community initiatives, events and activities - through sponsorships, featuring a company in a news article, nominating them for or granting them awards of recognition, and publicizing and showing up for job fairs and community-oriented events that the businesses participate in or host,” said Bruce Armstrong, GGEDC Economic Development Manager. “That involvement is critical in improving our quality of life and facilitating new connections that help spark, expand and nurture new business opportunities.” 

GGEDC strives for workforce success

Greater Gallup EDC collaborates with agencies to ensure a skilled talent pool and understand and address company workforce needs. To learn more about our initiatives, visit our website or contact us, and we shall be happy to help.