Wired65 will build and sustain a united regional approach to workforce development that supports innovation, entrepreneurship and economic prosperity.

Overview

Wired65 is focused on uniting an economic region that encompasses 26 counties – 19 in Kentucky and seven in Indiana. This regional approach will support talent development on a broader scale, building partnerships and leveraging resources toward making the region more competitive in the global marketplace.

A federal program, the WIRED – Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development –initiative is designed to integrate economic and workforce development activities in order to demonstrate the role of talent in the transformation of regional economies. Thirty-nine regions in the United States have received these grants.

Central Kentucky was awarded one of these grants in the third round. To better reflect economic ties, the initial 15-county region expanded its focus to include a larger bi-state region. The region encompasses the Louisville and Elizabethtown metropolitan areas and includes portions of six workforce investment boards.

TIP Report: Wired65 Regional Competitiveness Strategy

Talent — Innovation — Place

Developing a regional competitiveness strategy has been the focus and first step in leveraging the $5 million grant. The goal is to provide a blueprint for positioning the region for the development, retention, and recruitment of talent. The work has focused on identifying new opportunities as well as supporting key sectors of the regional economy.

Next Steps

The next steps will be to raise awareness of the priorities of talent, innovation and place in the prosperity of regions, to continue regional collaboration, and to invest the Wired65 grant funds in promising practices.