Contact: Ann Hatch
214-378-1819; ahatch@dcccd.edu
For immediate release — Aug. 15, 2017
(DALLAS) — Industry, government and education leaders from Canada, Mexico and the United States will meet in Dallas on Aug. 30-31, 2017, to discuss continental workforce issues. The two-day program, titled “Inspiring the North American Workforce: Now, Next and Beyond,” is presented by the Dallas County Community College District and NASCO, North American Strategy for Competitiveness.
Based in Dallas and described as a coalition, NASCO is a tri-national network of North American governments, businesses and education institutions “that are driven by a common interest to collaborate along commercial corridors and trade networks.”
The cost to attend the two-day event is $125 per person, and the deadline for online registration is Monday, Aug. 28. To register, visit nasconetwork.com/2017-workforce-forum. The registration fee includes a reception on Wednesday evening plus breakfast, lunch and materials for Thursday’s full-day program.
The forum begins at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 30, with a welcome reception at Café 43 in the George W. Bush Library on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Forum participants can sign in for the Thursday program beginning at 8 a.m. on Aug. 31, which will be held at Brookhaven College, located at 3939 Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch.
Guest speakers will include: Robert Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Dr. Joe May, DCCCD’s chancellor; Andres Alcantar, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission; Earl Anthony Wayne, retired career ambassador, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and public policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; and key leaders from business, government and education, also representing Canada, Mexico and the U.S.
“With NAFTA, immigration and workforce challenges among the three countries dominating the news, it is critical for us to understand the effects of policy decisions in Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City,” said Mark Hays, DCCCD’s vice chancellor for workforce and economic development.
“Participation from members of the business and education communities — plus government officials from state, national and international levels — is vital to this event as we explore solutions to common issues faced by all three countries,” he added.
“Workforce training and development is critical to the economic success and growth of our area, Texas and North America,” said May. “As a higher education partner in this state and region, DCCCD is working with business and government leaders to solve the issues that we face today — lack of a skilled workforce, the effects of global competitiveness and changing policies worldwide.”
Agenda highlights include:
- “Improving Growth by Closing the Skills Gap” – A discussion with Robert Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Dr. Joe May, DCCCD chancellor; and Andres Alcantar, chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission.
- “Identifying North American Public Policy Workforce Options – A keynote presented by Earl Anthony Wayne, retired career ambassador, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and public policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars;
- “Workforce in the Changing Face of NAFTA” – Luncheon keynote by Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce; and
- Signing of a memorandum of agreement by Raul Martinez, president of the National Association of Technological Universities of Mexico, and Dr. Joe May.
Breakout sessions will include these topics:
- “Cross-Border Employment: Best Practices from the Border Regions”;
- “Automation and Technology Changing the Workforce”;
- “Guided Career Pathways”;
- “Beneficial Employer Partnerships”; and
- “Winning the Talent Battle.”
“As North America strengthens its global competitive advantage in advanced manufacturing and logistics, we are facing significant and growing labor market shortfalls,” said Tiffany Melvin, NASCO’s president. “We share a common challenge, and also a common opportunity, to ‘up-skill’ and grow our next generation of front-line manufacturing and logistics workers by streamlining and harmonizing our approach to standards and training — and to bring maximum value to workforce credentials.”
“The entire forum will provide a time for everyone to learn, network and generate new ideas,” added Hays.
For a detailed agenda of speakers and topics, visit the forum’s website at nasconetwork.com/2017-workforce-forum.
For questions or more information, call Rachel Connell, NASCO’s vice president of membership and events, at 214-744-1006 or send an email to her at rachel@nasconetwork.com.
For details about DCCCD’s involvement in the conference or about workforce and economic development issues, call Hays at 214-378-1821 or send an email to mhays@dcccd.edu.
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