Lakeland turns to Inspire Wisconsin to host Talent Strategies Network
Inspire Wisconsin, an organization built on creating career-ready graduates, will be the new home for the Talent Strategies Network strategic initiative, a talent creation engine for Wisconsin previously hosted by Lakeland University.
The Talent Strategies Network (TSN), which launched this past January, began as an inclusive conversation regarding strategies for growing Wisconsin’s labor force participation rate.
TSN provides platforms, tools and information for talent development practitioners to address Wisconsin’s labor quantity shortage and need for more skilled workers. Local practitioners and influencers gain access to the best policies, practices and principles through courses, seminars, a speaker’s series, consultation, website materials and other peer-to-peer events.
TSN also identifies inclusive talent development strategies for expansion and replication by instructing counselors, coaches, case managers, educators and mentors on utilizing information, tools and resources to prepare students, job seekers and employees for the current and future labor market.
“Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development projects a 200,000+ shortage of workers in 2030,” said Dr. Mike Trimberger, president of the Inspire Wisconsin board of directors. “The Talent Strategies Network is a perfect complement to the decades of work Inspire Wisconsin has built in our K-16 statewide services. We look forward to adding it to our portfolio.”
Lakeland created TSN based on ideas generated by Scott Jansen, the program’s executive director and a veteran of Wisconsin’s workforce scene. Jansen created Wisconsin Fast Forward and is the former administrator of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Employment & Training.
Lakeland President Dr. Beth Borgen said TSN focuses on breaking down communication barriers between education, workforce and economic development practitioners to design strategies to recruit and develop Wisconsin’s skilled and knowledgeable workforce.
“Lakeland is a Cooperative Education institution that focuses on giving our students workplace experiences as part of a liberal arts education,” Borgen said. “We are committed to helping Wisconsin grow the workforce for the future and TSN has quickly gained traction across the state at all levels as a solution.
“With the significant input and support we’ve received from employers and business associations, TSN’s focus is on students, veterans, job seekers, retirees, immigrants and all others who will make up tomorrow’s Wisconsin workforce. The design concepts have been incubated and validated. The time has come to implement the vision.”
Borgen credited Jansen for being a driving force behind TSN, from its initial stages to the need for a statewide host to fully deliver its services and value.
“Scott has led this with an amazing vision, and I'm proud of the role Lakeland has played in incubating this network,” Borgen said. “I look forward to Lakeland continuing to play a role in this important work as TSN becomes part of Inspire and its offerings.”
The next phase of TSN implementation will be to establish local TSN hubs where local organizations within the designated labor sheds around Wisconsin will convene leaders from education, workforce, economic development, business, trade associations and civic organizations. Together, these hubs will evaluate current talent development programs, strategies and opportunities and request services from the TSN leadership team for their hub members and constituents.
Local chambers of commerce and economic development organizations have taken the lead within several labor sheds and will begin offering services later this year.
“This is where the TSN initiative vision takes root in local labor sheds and communities,” Trimberger said. “TSN services delivered to schools, employers, workforce and economic development agencies and civic groups will generate more skilled workers for regional industries and talent pipelines and advancing economic prosperity for local communities.
“Integrating TSN into the existing Inspire Wisconsin product portfolio establishes distribution channels for scaling, replicating and sharing successful talent development solutions throughout Wisconsin.”
For more information about how to engage in TSN, email Scott Jansen at JansenS@lakeland.edu.
