Thursday, October 18, 2007

Tom Henry Rolls Out Education-Economic Development Initiatives

Tom Henry held a press conference today at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center to talk about how he plans to continue to utilize Fort Wayne's current technological infrastructure and why the partnership between education and economic development is so important. He discussed three separate initiatives:(from the press release):
Community Learning Network. Henry will facilitate the formation of a brain-trust Community Learning Network that will bring together the expertise of our colleges and universities, high schools, Verizon, Comcast and the business community to leverage the full potential in Fort Wayne’s exceptional broadband infrastructure. The Network’s goal will be to explore new ways for our colleges and universities to create growth pipelines and advanced educational opportunities for area businesses, our workforce and local students.

Education Summit. This employer-educator conference will help to identify and establish community needs and areas of opportunity in the important interface of the education and business sectors. The event will include officials of secondary and postsecondary schools, as well as business leaders and economic and workforce development professionals. The Summit also will set the stage for future dialogue.

“Learning to Earn” Council. This regularly occurring roundtable of local education, business and economic development professionals would help perpetuate the discussions begun during the Education Summit. It also will foster the private-public partnerships that will move the community’s long-term education and economic development objectives forward, and keep this important topic at the top of the community agenda.

“We have outstanding colleges and universities in Fort Wayne,” noted Henry. “I have already talked with leaders at many of these institutions about creating a Community Learning Network to provide local employers and their employees with business-specific workshops and courses to help them succeed; and to offer college-level courses to local high school students to better prepare them for the next step in their academic careers. By building on the strengths of our institutions of higher learning and our high-tech infrastructure, we can help students, employees and employers maximize their own strengths.”

These three education-economic development initiatives highlight Henry’s commitment to several of his basic leadership principles: promoting private-public partnerships, providing responsive leadership, playing to our community’s strengths and getting the most value from every taxpayer dollar.

4 comments:

LP Mike Sylvester said...

I think Tom Henry must NOT agree with Dilbert...

Tom Henry kind of reminds me of some of the managers I have worked for and with in the past who seemed to think that having meetings would fix everything.

I truly do not think we need more meetings and more committees...

Mike Sylvester

Jeff Pruitt said...

I have to disagree w/ you on this one Mike. Bring educators together with employers is a good idea. It doesn't take long for curricula to become divergent with the needs of industry...

bobett said...

Jeff,

It would be great, but the sad fact is their are few, internships, and cooperative programs locally to keep Fort Wayne college youth students to stay enrolled in Fort Wayne's
higher education programs.

Mr. Henry needs recognize, and promote students in programs established. As an example,
Engineering, Project lead the Way.

Play the game Jeff, how does Fort Wayne keep its' best students? How do we bridge the high school, & college, dual credit? How is Mr. Henry gonna foster intellects
from the high school going to college and keep them in the City of Fort Wayne?

LP Mike Sylvester said...

Jeff there are currently numerous ways that employers and educators get together...

This is just another one...

Mike Sylvester