WE Align

The  Workforce and Education Alignment Group, or “WE Align” Group, for short, is a hometown initiative. The purpose is basic but essential:

"To increase communication between our industries and our educators, to better serve each other."

What is it:

Marshall Economic Development along with our partners in business, education, and workforce, formed and launched the WE Align Group as a grassroots business and education conversation in 2021.  It is an ongoing and regular discussion group that has increased in participation since its inception. 

Purpose:

WE Align's purpose is to create and maintain a channel of communication between educators and industries with discussions about pairing what skills are taught (supply) versus what skills are required (demand). That communication channel is an absolute necessity for a vibrant community in a dynamic economy and must be intentionally maintained by both sides to be efficient. Local businesses need to build their future workforce pipelines so that they have skilled labor to stay and excel in business.  Marshall Economic Development's role is to encourage meaningful private-sector business engagement with the suppliers of the skills.

Call to Businesses & Educators:

WE Align is a vehicle for each business sector’s voice that wants to participate (financial, education, manufacturing, agriculture, retail, and so on). Those who participate are heard. Schools are at the table and listening. They need more private-sector input. The long-term goal of the WE Align Group is to form a manageable WE Align Council that votes, advocates, and advises where workforce dollars should be spent within the PK-12 system in Marshall, generally in connection or partnership with a post-secondary college from Marshall. 

“How will we choose to interact together as a community to benefit each other?”

Our mantra is “Building Together. Winning Together.”

We hope you’ll join us.

Next Steps:

Join our next WE Align Meeting on the last Wednesday of every month from 12 - 1 pm.  Lunch is provided.  Contact robert@marshalledc.org or rush@marshalledc.org or call (903) 934-8035 to get on the meeting list and for more details.