TALENT AT A CROSSROADS: The Future of Work + Employer Collaboration

Join us for a thought-provoking executive conversation featuring national workforce leaders from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
About this Event

We are pleased to welcome Peter Beard, Vice President of Policy and Programs, and Jaimie Francis, Vice President of Programs and Policy, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, who will share national perspectives on the future of talent and help lead an interactive discussion on the power of employer collaboration to address our most pressing workforce challenges.

West Michigan's talent equation is changing — and the numbers demand our attention.

With only four graduates for every ten job openings, more than one-quarter of our manufacturing workforce age 55 or older, and rapidly evolving skill requirements, the question is no longer simply how we fill today's jobs.

It's how we build the workforce our businesses will need tomorrow.

Demographic shifts, accelerating technology, changing employee expectations, and growing skills gaps are creating challenges that no single employer can solve alone.

But what if we approached talent differently? What if employers worked together to develop, advance, and retain talent across our region rather than competing for the same limited workforce?

I invite you to join a select group of West Michigan CEOs, business owners and senior HR leaders for Talent at a Crossroads, an opportunity to exchange perspectives, challenge conventional thinking and explore how collective employer leadership can create meaningful solutions.

Together, we'll explore:

• The Future of Talent: Key national and regional workforce trends and their implications for West Michigan businesses over the next 3–10 years.
• The Business Case for Collaboration: Shared workforce challenges and opportunities for employers to achieve more together than they can independently.
• iNexus — Collaboration in Action: An introduction to an emerging employer-led talent ecosystem designed to attract, develop, and circulate talent, including insights from our first pilot.
• Shaping What's Next: Opportunities for employers to help design and participate in new Manufacturing and Hospitality pilots focused on skill development, career pathways, and talent mobility.