Business Facilities - April 2008 - (Page 42)

BUSINESS REPORT Kansas By Karim Khan Key Kansas Industries Get a Boost The labor pool for the aviation, healthcare, and advanced materials industries in South Central Kansas will soon benefit from the federal WIRED initiative. T he prospects for the aviation and healthcare industries in Kansas went from good to better in December 2007, when Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Assistant U.S. Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco formally unveiled the South Central Kansas Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative. “The U.S. Department of Labor’s WIRED grants are extremely competitive with only 36 total grants being awarded through three cycles,” says Kansas Department of Commerce (KDOC) Secretary David Kerr. “The fact that Kansas has been the recipient of two is quite remarkable.” The goal of the WIRED initiative is to accelerate economic growth in KANSAS FAST FACTS Population (2006): 2,764,075 Largest Cities (2006): Wichita, 357,698; Overland Park, 166,722; Kansas City, 143,801; Topeka, 122,113; Olathe, 114,662 Targeted Industries: Aviation/ avionics, bioscience, warehousing/ distribution, value-added agriculture, and customer service/back office Key Incentives: High Performance Incentive Program, Kansas Industrial Training Program, Kansas Economic Opportunity Initiatives Fund, Community Development Block Grant South Central Kansas through innovation and workforce development within the aircraft and healthcare industries—as well as the advanced materials and polymers sectors, which are becoming increasingly critical to aviation, healthcare, and other technology-based industries. The initiative is funded by a $5 million grant awarded to Kansas in June by the U.S. Department of Labor. South Central Kansas was among 13 regions nationally that were awarded funding in the Department of Labor’s third round of WIRED awards. All third-round recipients received the same $5 million, threeyear package. “South Central Kansas is home to the world’s premier aviation manufacturing cluster and currently has the highest concentration of aircraft and aircraft parts manufacturing skills in the nation,” says Gov. Sebelius. “This WIRED initiative will allow the region to further develop its aviation industry and remain an industry leader for years to come.” The South Central Kansas WIRED grant is Kansas’ second award in the first three WIRED rounds. In February 2006, the Greater Metro Kansas City Area was awarded $15 million in the Department of Labor’s first round to address the region’s bioscience, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing workforce needs. Between the two grants, Kansas is now the only state in the nation to have all of its local workforce investment areas involved in a WIRED project. EMPLOYMENT BY NAICS SUPERSECTOR (2007 AVERAGES) 300,000 250,000 THOUSANDS OF WORKERS Natural Resources & Mining: 9,100 Professional & Business Services: 144,300 Trade, Transportation, & Utilities: 263,500 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0 Manufacturing: 185,500 Other Services: 52,200 SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 42 APRIL 2008 Information: 41, 000 Government: 257,600 Construction: 65,100

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - April 2008

Business Facilities - April 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves: Ohio Businesses On the Move Corporate Moves: Nebraska If You Build It, They Will Come A Tale of Two Industries Economic Transformation In the Islands Diversity: A New York State of Mind Growing in the Sun Key Kansas Industries Get a Boost How To Choose the Right Commercial Real Estate Broker Missouri Downtowns Dare to Dream Advertiser Index Ask the Expert

Business Facilities - April 2008

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