The Next Rockford Business Environment Committee identifies and advocates for issues important to the business environment and economic development of the region through the following teams and initiatives:

Human Resource Team

Business Recruitment Assistance Program

The Human Resource (HR) Team has developed a program to assist area businesses as they seek to hire talent from outside the region. The HR Team plays roles ranging from providing a welcome letter accompanied by a package of information on the Rockford area to meeting face-to-face with candidates during the interview process. The team’s primary focus is to find a way to have job candidates connect with people from Next Rockford who have similar backgrounds or who are in similar phases of life (married, single, children, not originally from the area, etc).  Click here for contact information on this service!

College Mentoring Program

The HR Team has recently taken on a second initiative with the piloting of a program with approximately 15 college students who all attended high school in Rockford. The goal of this initiative is to stay in contact with Rockford-area natives while they are away at college. We believe we can provide guidance on a variety of professions in which they may be interested, as well as help with introductions to employers prior to graduating. We are also exploring how we can help the College Mentoring Program students link to Internships and job shadowing opportunities. The HR Team believes that contact with students who are away for college will increase the chances of them returning to the area to be leaders after graduation.

ARTRA (Attracting and Retaining Talent to the Rockford Area Committee)

 

ARTRA is volunteer group comprised of representatives from Next Rockford as well as the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, City of Rockford and Winnebago County. The Committee is dedicated to growing Rockford’s population of professionals in their late 20s and 30s by encouraging young professionals that grew up in Rockford, but have since pursued careers elsewhere, to take jobs in the Rockford region and move back to the area.

According to study conducted by Next Generation Consulting on what the Rockford region should do to attract and retain the next generation of talent and leadership, three trends are coalescing in the Rockford region. Taken together, these trends demand a proactive, strategic, and collaborative approach from community and economic development professionals to attract and retain young talent.

  • Economic Trends: Rockford’s economy is shifting due to rapid technological change and globalization.

  • Demographic Trends: Rockford is losing its share of educated young professionals. in  2005, about 25 percent of the U.S. population held bachelor's degrees,  compared with 13.1 percent in Rockford. At a time when the economy is demanding higher skills, Rockford cannot afford to lose its young, educated workforce. To make matters worse, broader demographic trends indicate that the race for young talent will become more heated as Baby Boomers retire.

  • Psychographic  Trends: Psychographics is the study of how people make decisions and has  application in Rockford’s future. For the next generation, cities are brands. Which one they choose depends on how well they identify with its brand attributes and characteristics. Three-fourths of college graduates under 28 years old say that where they live is as important - or  more important than - where they work.

To view Next Generation Consulting’s complete report, click here. 

RAEDC Solutions Teams (Rockford Area Economic Development Council)

 

Next Rockford Business Environment Team members are able to participate in the following solution teams hosted/led by the RAEDC.

Business Retention & Expansion Solutions Team

The role of the Business Retention & Expansion Solutions Team (BRE) is to learn opportunities for improvement from existing employers, strengthen the workforce pipeline, and increase awareness and participation in continuous improvement programs. Additionally, the BRE team is working to develop and foster a supportive entrepreneurial environment.

Business & Community Relations Solutions Team

The role of the Business & Community Relations Solutions Team (BCR) is to actively promote the RAEDC to both current and prospective investors. The BCR team oversees outward marketing of Rockforward! strategies and economic development messages to regional employers, community leaders, and citizens. BCR also works to communicate developments to investors and stakeholders through individual, group, and public meetings; produces quarterly events, including the Annual Meeting, and oversees the publication of communications tools, including the quarterly results report to investors and this Annual Report.

Business Attraction Solutions Team

The work of the Business Attraction Solutions Team (BA) is primarily focused on developing international business relationships, with a special focus on Sweden and China. By building stronger international associations, the RAEDC can help businesses establish partnerships and joint ventures, obtain licensing, and open the door to new markets. The BA team is also focused on increasing the amount of business park property in the region and is working to extend regional partnerships, including the Tri-State Alliance, I-39 Logistics Corridor Association, and the Illinois Development Council.

Business Environment Team Contact

For more information on any of the efforts outlined above please contact Brent Scott at 815.394.4658 or brent.w.scott@comcast.net