"Jobs Anywhere" is Not Enough

Guest Blogger: Andriana Abariotes, Executive Director, Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
Originally posted on Leadership and Community

This was the mantra at the Oct 3-4 “Urban 2.0” Inner City Economic Summit in Chicago.  Convened by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), this day and half-long conference focused on the next generation of jobs and business needed to improve the vitality of inner city communities and opportunities for the people who live in them.  I was one of roughly 250 participants, representing the public, private, philanthropic, and community and nonprofit sectors, who are all returning to their own communities better informed (and a bit jazzed) about some of the latest thinking in urban revitalization and community development, especially as it pertains to jobs, small business, and workforce development.

The challenge put forth by Harvard professor Michael Porter, chairman and founder of ICIC, was that if we’re to see dramatic change in meeting the employment needs of inner city residents and economic growth in these communities, more focused and customized strategies are needed.  He also proposed that focusing on industry clusters, which is much more prevalent globally and increasingly utilized in the United States, can and should be an economic development strategy within distressed urban areas.

Why?  Because regional growth and prosperity depends on it.

So what does this take?  In example after example, panelists and presenters highlighted key elements that need to be present:

• Clarity of vision
• Coordinated leadership, aligning and leveraging stakeholders (their strategies, strengths and resources)
• Communicating transparent and relevant information to all involved
• Creating trusted relationships
• Bridging social capital, especially across race and class
• Committing to the long-term

These elements reflect the “how” rather than the “what.”  Far too often, we get focused on the next best thing.  And while I believe in the sharing of approaches that work (and even sharing those that didn’t), when it comes to developing and implementing strategies in communities–whether at the neighborhood or regional levels–the “what” becomes highly customized to the local environment.

I will contend, however, there were some really great approaches shared, too.  Transformation of Chicago’s City Colleges system to help students achieve economically relevant credentials for the jobs of today and the future vs. jobs in the past 25 years.  Re-framing the industrial/manufacturing sector as cluster development in inner cities and preparing the workforce to be able to obtain those jobs.  Focusing on small business development, particularly minority-owned businesses, as assets in inner cities helping to create employment and wealth creation opportunities.  An inspirational story of Revolution Foods, a social enterprise producing and distributing fresh food to schools.  And the list goes on.

ICIC is promising to continue the dialogue started at the summit on their blog and on Twitter using the hashtag #ICICSummit.  I’m looking forward to hearing more from ICIC and other participants.  More importantly, I’m interested in figuring out how to put this wealth of information to work.  Let me know your thoughts.

BY Steven Pedigo on October 12th, 2011

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