Lenawee Now encourages participation of community in crucial workforce-demographic research survey

Aggregate data gathered will be used to attract new businesses to Lenawee County.

June 8, 2015

Lenawee Now, in partnership with the Greater Ann Arbor Region, has retained Growth Services Group (GSG), a national labor market research consulting firm, to administer a local household phone survey and online survey.  Lenawee Now and the Greater Ann Arbor Region are economic development organizations devoted to local economic and business expansion. The goal of the survey is to identify the available labor force at the local or regional level by type, education, experience, skills, and under what conditions they would be available for employment.  Lenawee Now requests your participation throughout the duration of this survey research project.

According to Lenawee Now’s Executive Director, Jim Van Doren, participating in the survey is very important.  Mr. Van Doren said “The results from the survey will assist business leaders as they evaluate Lenawee’s talent pool during their site selection process.

The survey will be administered throughout the summer. Residents between the ages of 18 and 64 years old will be selected, at random, to be surveyed via phone. Any resident between the ages of 18 and 64 is also eligible to participate in the online version of the survey. To participate in the online labor survey please follow this link: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2174899/GAAR

The results of this survey will provide valuable insight into labor availability and skill sets of the Lenawee County workforce. It will also determine the current and desired work opportunities of those surveyed.

Labor is a key factor in site selection. In a 2014 corporate survey, featured in Area Development Magazine, “availability of skilled labor” was listed as the number one factor for site consideration. Data gathered from this survey will be used as a recruitment tool for potential businesses looking to expand their operations to Lenawee County.

This survey data will also be instrumental to our educators as they develop curriculum and training classes to make sure our labor force has the most current and relevant skill sets.

Any comments made during the survey will be kept confidential and only reported in the aggregate or grand totals of the regional survey for the Greater Ann Arbor Region.

The is a collaborative effort that includes Ann Arbor SPARK, Lenawee Now, Enterprise Group of Jackson, Hillsdale County Economic Development Partnership, and Monroe County Business Development Corp.  Organized through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Greater Ann Arbor Region partners work together to attract growing businesses that are seeking a destination for relocation or expansion.

Lenawee Now is a public/private entity dedicated to economic and business expansion throughout Lenawee County. By attracting new businesses, helping to grow established businesses, and supporting entrepreneurial endeavors in Lenawee, Lenawee Now is creating an economically viable and vibrant region. In addition to business attraction, retention and start-up activities, Lenawee Now provides critical services to support business growth including access to funding sources and talent enhancement. Lenawee Now is formerly known as the Lenawee Economic Development Corporation