State of the Trade: A Working Session on the Kansas Workforce

Most workforce planning runs on gut feel and last year's numbers, but this session runs on real data. Chris Wyant opens with a live walkthrough of his independent Kansas workforce data dashboard, offering a clear-eyed look at where the state's talent pressures are right now and where they are headed next. From there, you will join a small group of fellow HR and L&D leaders to work through what the data actually means for your own organization's planning.
This session carries no pitch and no program showcase. It is simply the data, a room full of people solving the same problem you are, and two hours that might change how you think about next year's talent plan.
No application is required to register, and seats are limited.
Chris Wyant has spent his time at WSU Tech's Training & Workforce Innovation division watching a number most people haven't noticed yet: the point where Kansas's working-age population drops below the number of jobs the state needs filled. His own research, built into a county-by-county workforce dashboard, puts that crossover year at 2027.
His line on it: "The pressure you have in filling vacant roles right now is the easiest it will be going forward." Wyant is State of the Trade's first guest, appearing not to talk about WSU Tech's programs but to walk through his own data on what the skills gap actually looks like across the state.