Greater Memphis, Tennessee Region
Regional cooperation is imperative to successful economic development efforts and the Memphis Regional Economic Development Council (MREDC) understands that regional boundaries don’t always stop at state lines. In the fall of 2005, the MREDC retained WDG to conduct an in-depth labor market analysis and target industry study for a 52-county region centered around the City of Memphis, which spanned the states of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. The short term objective of this study was to assist existing businesses in finding qualified workers, help workforce agencies match workers with jobs and training programs, and guide educators and other training providers in preparing the workforce for existing and emerging employment opportunities.  Long term, this project will provide a plan to transition the workforce into the new economy which requires higher skills. 

Detailed data was collected from employers and from a large cross-section of the workforce. The Wadley-Donovan Group (WDG) and Younger Associates used a number of research tools to conduct their analysis including their proprietary Data Delivery System, a web-based query system that allows a user to obtain primary labor force data for standard or customized geographies. Additionally, as customary, consultants from both companies traveled to the region to conduct interviews with representative employers, educators, utilities, realtors, government officials and other key stakeholders. Extensive secondary research was collected and analyzed as well. Upon completion of the labor market analysis, WDG identified and profiled six target industries suitable for the region’s business recruitment and attraction efforts.

Since completion of the project, the assessment done by WDG and YA has helped the region attract several high-profile companies including Toyota, which used the Data Delivery System to evaluate a location in the region and the workforce available to them.