Kolb discusses housing, workforce preparation with supervisors

Grundy County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state, but as Butler-Grundy Development Alliance Executive Director Jeff Kolb explained during Monday morning’s board of supervisors meeting, it can be a double-edged sword. How can he attract businesses to locate here without a strong pool of prospective employees to fill the jobs?
           
“The workforce needs aren’t being met. The amount of job openings we have is pretty amazing,” he said. “These wages are pretty dang good wages, so we have to do a good job of educating these kids and parents (about) what the opportunities are so we can keep them here.”
           
The supervisors eventually voted unanimously to approve a grant application that would cover about half of a housing needs assessment study ($20,000) in Grundy County, and the development alliance would pay for the rest. Kolb added that if the group doesn’t receive the grant, he plans to reach out to local realtors and banks for financial support.
           
Later in his remarks, Kolb stressed the need for partnerships with local high schools to prepare students for the workforce—not solely a four-year college education. He cited welding as a prime example of an in-demand field with great earning potential. 
 
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