A BBBRC grant builds momentum for a highly trained semiconductor workforce

Wednesday, September 9, 2026
For the civic leaders of Osceola County, the Great Recession of 2008 made clear that they could not base their economy so heavily on travel and tourism. By the time COVID-19 hit in 2020, they knew the steps they had taken to diversify their economy were the right ones. When the Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) opportunity arose in 2021, the county and its partners were well-positioned to operationalize the benefits the grant presented to the region and create a trained workforce for a recently attracted semiconductor industry. How did Osceola County get here? There are potential approaches to emulate by more areas of the county dependent on low-wage sectors like tourism or, for that matter, extraction-focused regions subject to “boom and bust.” 

The Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana region could see as many as 191,000 quantum jobs by 2035

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

The Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) recently released a report, Advancing Together: A Unified Strategy for Scaling Midwest Quantum Talent, outlining a regional strategy to expand the quantum workforce. The Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana region could see as many as 191,000 quantum jobs by 2035, according to a Boston Consulting Group analysis for the CQE. More than 70% of those jobs will be available to people who do not have graduate degrees, and nearly one-third will be open to those with associates degrees or technical training. 

Researchers find AI adoption moderate across firms, stronger among individuals

Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System recently published a new FEDS Notes article titled Monitoring AI Adoption in the US Economy. The article examines trends in AI adoption in the U.S. using three publicly available surveys: the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), Real-Time Population Survey (RPS), and Survey of Business Uncertainty. These surveys respectively capture data at the firm-level, individual-level, and from business executives.

Recent Research: How minimum wage increases shape the STEM workforce pipeline

Thursday, November 6, 2025

College is often the time when students discover which career path they want to pursue, through coursework, internships, and hands-on experiences. New research examining state minimum wage increases, however, shows how budget pressures can disrupt access to these formative opportunities and ultimately affect who enters STEM careers.  

College is often the time when students discover which career path they want to pursue, through coursework, internships, and hands-on experiences. New research examining state minimum wage increases, however, shows how budget pressures can disrupt access to these formative opportunities and ultimately affect who enters STEM careers.

EDA reopens Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

After a nine-month hiatus, the Economic Development Administration has reopened its Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs with an updated Notice of Funding Opportunity.

After a nine-month hiatus, the Economic Development Administration has reopened its Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs with an updated Notice of Funding Opportunity. In the past, this funding has supported a variety of technology-based economic development projects, including research commercialization centers, business incubators and accelerators, revolving loan funds, workforce development initiatives, and regional strategic planning activities, as well as other infrastructure and economic development projects in economically distressed communities.  

Recent research: Tulsa Remote study shows strong economic returns

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

To grow their local populations and STEM workforce, communities across the country are experimenting with resident/worker attraction programs, as we have previously covered. But how effective are these programs? A recent study from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research offers new insights by analyzing Tulsa Remote’s track record from its inception in 2018 to 2023.  

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