OPINION: Guest writer

OPINION | CHRIS CALDWELL: A bright future

Delta well-positioned to rebound

Over the past few months, I can't help but be re-inspired by the resilience of the American spirit and the resolve of the Delta's residents. On the heels of what many economists considered "full employment," the covid-19 pandemic's spread across the country and our communities has marked record high unemployment rates, safer-at-home orders, business closures, and a national conversation around a "new normal."

With a third of the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt's economies centered on employment sectors most heavily impacted by the pandemic, our region has realized a disproportionate share of the detrimental effect. However, I am most optimistic about the signs of our regional economy beginning to regroup and recover.

Twenty years ago, the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) was established by Congress to address economic distress within the Mississippi River Delta Region and Alabama Black Belt by providing investments in basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, work-force development, and small businesses with an emphasis in entrepreneurship.

Since the beginning of my tenure at DRA, I have ensured that economic development and skills development go hand in hand. Research has shown targeted work-force training programs provide benefits to local and regional economies eight times larger than associated costs of such programs. Evidenced by our ongoing partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities initiative and our own Delta Workforce Program, DRA has emphasized the importance of investing in human capital to advance the Delta's economy.

Last year, I made a commitment to continue traveling across the region to speak with students, teachers, and business leaders from various sectors on the role of apprenticeships and work-force training programs in revitalizing the Delta economy. Eager to fulfill this commitment, this month I had the opportunity to visit a few of our partners continuing to provide much-needed skills training and support services. I was awed by the progress of programs in which DRA has invested and in their ability to develop and deliver innovative training solutions through these unprecedented circumstances.

Accompanied by Sen. John Boozman, I first visited Arkansas Northeastern College in Blytheville to discuss the university's ADWORC initiative. Through ADWORC, it is delivering training and support services to 1,300 residents in a three-state, 14-county region. Under President James Shemwell's leadership, students are able to obtain industry-recognized certifications in less time and, as a result, be better positioned to take advantage of employment opportunities in high-demand fields.

In Hopkins County, Ky., Madisonville Community College provided me an opportunity to view its newly expanded work-force training centers. Taking advantage of opportunities from both DRA and the Department of Labor, the college, in partnership with Henderson Community College, has prepared western Kentucky to fully benefit from its strategic location along Interstate 69 and prevalence as a national leader in energy development. Through its partnerships with the private sector, its vision to align its CDL and lineman training programs have provided employers in a six-county region with access to a skilled and ready work force.

In Caruthersville, Mo., I met with city officials to discuss the dire need for experienced, well-trained water and wastewater professionals. With many skilled professionals reaching retirement age, DRA last year partnered with the Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) to expand an accredited apprenticeship program to meet this growing demand. DRA's strategic investment has better prepared southeast Missourians to take advantage of these career opportunities as well as ensure the long-term resilience of the region's critical infrastructure.

This trip reiterated the importance of local and regional public-private partnerships in realizing the long-term success of work-force investments and, ultimately, improving the competitiveness of our regional employers. Also, I'm reminded of the growing number of pathways available to Delta residents to achieve the skills needed to succeed in the changing economy.

As we move into a state of recovery, I cannot help but be optimistic about the Delta's future. Even through this cloud of uncertainty, our local and regional institutions remain dedicated in their efforts to engage our business community and prepare our next-

generation work force.

Whether traditional four-year or technical education, industry-recognized apprenticeships, or on-the-job training, the Delta is well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities the resurging economy will make available. As part of the federal-state partnership established to promote the economic advancement of the Delta economy, I will continue to look for opportunities to support residents of the Delta to advance their knowledge base and skill sets and set the stage for the development of a more resilient Delta economy.

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Chris Caldwell is federal co-chairman of the Delta Regional Authority, whose mission is to help create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of those who reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the eight-state region that includes Arkansas.

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