(Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Office of Workforce Development)

The report contained state of the workforce reports for Alabama and each of the state’s local workforce investment areas and workforce regional advisory council areas.  For the purposes of the report, the substate workforce investment areas are referred to as workforce investment advisory areas (WIAAs).  The reports analyze supply, demand, and other issues regarding the workforce for the state and each WIAA, using available metrics of workforce characteristics.  Follow-up reports have been performed, and a special report on the Alabama counties impacted by Hurricane Katrina was also performed.

Another arm of the West-Alabama East Mississippi WIRED Initiative was a report entitled Forest-Based Economic Development Opportunities in the West Alabama-East Mississippi Region.  A study was conducted to identify opportunities for economic development within their geographic area of interest, which includes thirty-six contiguous counties lying in West Alabama and East Mississippi (WAEM). More specifically, the study focused on opportunities that could arise from the substantial forest resource base and forest industries located within that geographic area. While the severe economic recession of recent years has been particularly devastating to forest products markets, the region’s strong asset base, both for timber and manufacturing capacity, is seen as a formidable platform for future growth within the WAEM region.

The resulting report described the findings of the study effort, delineated potential areas of opportunity for forest-based economic development, and made recommendations for facilitating the realization of those opportunities within the WAEM region.

Through a partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission, Auburn University Montgomery, and University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research, the On-line Economic Development Initiative improves economic development decision-making in Appalachian Alabama by assembling, organizing, and maintaining a collection of socio-economic data relevant to industrial recruiters, site selection managers, and other economic development professionals. The Internet-accessible data is available for each county within the ARC service area of Alabama.

This project is crucial in developing a truly integrated system of exchange information vital for economic development.  Local economic developers often do not have access to key information needed to support grant applications that could assist in locating new businesses.  Many of these data are available through Alabama’s universities and state agencies.  However, these data are often difficult to access without substantial expertise in working with the complex formats used in the databases.  The On-line Economic Development Initiative centralizes this data in a user-friendly format through a web-based interface providing “one-stop shopping” to developers.

http://choosealabama.net/

In partnership with the Alabama-Tombigbee Development Commission and the Ala-Tom RC&D, UCED is supporting tourism development efforts in the 11 county Southwest Alabama region.  The project is creating opportunities for increased visitation and tourism through marketing efforts, partnering between counties and communities, and the development of several touring trails, including the Southwest Alabama Birding trail.

The Front Porches website highlights all of the incredible activities that are available in the Alabama – Tombigbee region of rural southwest Alabama. Find out more of the attractions you’ll be telling your friends about by browsing through the website!

www.alabamasfrontporches.com

Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park

Under the sponsorship of AmeriCorps VISTA, UCED is partnering with US Forest Service Talladega Forest-Oakmulgee District, the Alabama Historical Commission-Old Cahawba, Moundville Archaeological Park and Perry County Chamber of Commerce to focus on Rural Economic Development through Nature and Heritage Based Tourism. Linking the natural, cultural and historic assets of Bibb, Dallas, Hale and Perry Counties, this project will work with local organizations within each county to further develop the amenities, services and marketing efforts to support heritage based and  eco-tourism.

Map of the Historic and Recreational Cahaba River Corridor