Meeting Workforce Needs

Workforce challenges continue to shape business strategy, economic competitiveness, and opportunity across our region. Join employers, policymakers, and workforce leaders from across the Portland-SW Washington metro region for a candid conversation about where talent gaps exist today, what's working to address them, and what more is needed to meet industry demand.

Moderated by Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall, the event will feature employer leaders from the construction, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors sharing real-world perspectives on workforce needs, business impacts, and promising solutions. The panel will focus on practical strategies being used to attract, develop, and retain talent, as well as the barriers that limit progress.

Following the panel, policy and system leaders will respond in real time to the successes and challenges presented by the employers, with the goal of identifying policy and system responses that can be put into action.

To help frame the conversations, Liza Morehead, Worksystems' Research & Data Analyst, will provide a brief update on key workforce trends and labor market data across the region.

Whether you are an employer navigating hiring challenges, a policymaker shaping workforce investments, or a community leader interested in regional economic vitality, you'll leave with a better understanding of today's workforce landscape and opportunities to support solutions that work for businesses and workers alike.