1. Who’s at Your table? Coordination and Collaboration of Business Engagement with External Partnerships Keeva Davis Workforce Development Specialist DOL/ETA, Region 1

2. “Business engagement as a holistic, comprehensive approach to ensuring a vibrant business ecosystem in a state, region, or community, combining strategies, operational activities and services, and comprehensive partnerships to ensure that the primary focus is to provide solutions to businesses throughout the business lifecycle.” 2 DEFINITION

3. External Agency Business Engagement Partnerships Department of Commerce Small Business Administration USDA Rural Development Department of Labor Department of Education Delta Regional Authority

4. 4 The days of going out to businesses/ employers with JUST your specific agency of materials and packets, is becoming obsolete. Today’s Business Service Representatives, Apprenticeship and Rapid Response coordinators need a more robust understanding of not only DOL incentives and activities but have a working knowledge of external partners initiatives and ongoing activity. When replying to new or existing business needs, for those needs that are not in your toolkit, what additional resources can you provide or speak too? WHERE’S THE CONNECTION?

5. 5 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT When looking at our table, how often do we reach out to partner agencies to discuss new initiatives and priorities? How do you become fixed partners at their meetings and on their agendas, and what is your role? How involved is your business engagement team to include BSRs’, Apprenticeship and Rapid Response Coordinators, with collaborative grant efforts, such as Jobs Innovation Accelerator Challenge, Make It In America, Rural Jobs and Accelerator Challenge, Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnerships, etc. ? Do you have a listing of business industry associations in your area in your toolkit? Who are your points of contact? How often do you attend meetings and become a resource for these associations? HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS WHEN WORKING WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS AROUND BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT?

6. 6 OH… the WHY? Alignment- Same Page Supports State and Local Economic Development- Sharing of Resources There’s always room for Continuous Improvement- Expanding your network and resources

7. PRESENTERS External Agency Business Engagement Partnerships Small Business Administration USDA Rural Development Department of Labor Department of Commerce