[Partnerships] Berkshire Regional Skills Summit

[Lisa Deyo]

Just sending this as FYI, what is happening in the
Berkshires.....

Berkshire Regional Skills Summit

SPONSORED BY Representative Peter Larkin and The
Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth
(MassINC)
A Project of MassINC's New Skills For a New Economy
Awareness & Action Campaign*

Thursday, June 6, 2002
Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA
9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

CO-SPONSORED BY Berkshire County Regional Employment
Board - Pittsfield Economic Development Authority -
Berkshire Chamber of Commerce - Berkshire Community
College -
Senator Andrea Nuciforo - Representative Dan Bosley
Representative Shaun Kelly - Representative Chris
Hodgkins -
Mayor Sara Hathaway

Did you know that 1 out of 3 workers in Massachusetts
lack the skills needed for the New Economy? What does
this mean for economic development in Berkshire County
now and in the future? How can we find skilled
>workers and meet 21st century skills challenges to
stay competitive in the global economy? Join
colleagues from the private and public sectors for a
frank look at the skills shortage faced by businesses
in Berkshire
County and join the effort to do something about it.
Together, we will:

•Develop a framework for creating a world-class
workforce;
•Identify short and long-term action steps to improve
our workforce
development efforts; and
•Engage regional leaders in MassINC's New Skills for a
New Economy
Awareness & Action Campaign

AGENDA
• 8:30 A.M. Registration

• 9:00 A.M. Greetings and overview of the
Summit-Representative
Peter Larkin

• 9:15 A.M. Overview of the Berkshire
Economy-Professor Craig Moore, U Mass, Amherst.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Berkshire
economy? How can we position ourselves to take
advantage of future growth opportunities?

• 10:00 A.M. MassINC's New Skills for a New Economy
Campaign-Joe Alviani and John Schneider
Learn how you can join a statewide effort to make
literacy and workforce development a 21st century
policy initiative by impacting workforce development
resources, policies, and practices.

• 10:15 A.M. Panel Discussion
Hear from local and regional experts representing
business, labor, education, and government on current
efforts to develop a 21st century workforce and meet
future labor needs.

• 11:15 A.M. Breakout Sessions and Brownbag Lunch
Work with your colleagues to develop strategies for
developing the workforce Berkshire County needs to
take advantage of future economic growth
opportunities.

• 12:15 P.M. Next Steps-Representative Peter Larkin
and John Schneider, MassINC
Share ideas from the breakout session: what needs to
get done today to make a difference tomorrow?

• 12:45 P.M. Adjourn

To RSVP-call the Berkshire County Regional Employment
Board @ >413-442-7177
Please RSVP by June 3
Questions? Email jschneider at massinc.org

*The Campaign is sponsored by Verizon, The Nellie Mae
Education Foundation, The Boston Foundation,
Fleet Charitable Trusts, The Polaroid Fund and
co-sponsored by National Grid and Citizens Bank


About the MassINC e-mail network: Members of the
MassINC Email Network receive regular updates on
public policy issues, current events, and happenings
at MassINC. Membership in the network is free and open
to 
the public. Citizens may register by calling
617-742-6800 ext. 128 or by emailing MassINC
webmaster. If you would like to be removed from the
MassINC email network, please send a message to
MassINC webmaster.
MassINC is a non-profit, independent organization.


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