KJS Forest Products named C3’s Industry of the Year

GUIN — The Northwest Economic Development Alliance, known as C3, held its 15th annual State of the Region meeting on Friday, Jan. 16, at the Holiday Inn.
Civic and business leaders from around the region met to discuss ongoing efforts to bring new industry and jobs into the region, and grow and develop what is already here.
This year’s guest speaker was Greg Reed, former state senator and Alabama’s current Secretary of Workforce Development.
Reed spoke about the state’s ongoing efforts to grow the workforce in the state, and increase workforce participation from key age group demographics.
Reed said the state’s three main areas of focus for workforce development were education training, awareness and consolidation.
“Alabama has some of the lowest unemployment in the nation,” Reed said. “Also, Alabama’s workforce participation rate for prime age workers is 80 percent and growing. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but that’s a great number for us!”
Reed added that in the year 2025, Alabama added about 25,000 to Alabama’s workforce.
He also spoke about proposed programs to provide scholarships and other opportunities the state could make available to enable even more people to get the education or training they need to join the workforce.
“We positioned ourselves in a great spot, and all we need to do now is work hard and execute the options and opportunities that we’ve got moving forward,” Reed concluded. “This organization and all of you that are a part of this area are going to be important in making that happen in northwest Alabama.”