According to the Department of Labor, Labor Day, “is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
Recently, there has been much talk about workforce in our community. On Wednesday we will present findings from the workforce development visioning process led by the Chamber and Economic Development Corporation in partnership with Owensboro Community and Technical College and Western Kentucky University — Owensboro.
These partners understand that “strength, prosperity and the well-being of our country” are essential ingredients to life as we know it. Without a solid, adaptable and engaged workforce, we are all on shaky ground. While presenting the report to the community on Wednesday, we will discuss where we are and how we can begin to more deliberately shape where we are headed in terms of workforce development.
For purposes of this weekend’s holiday, let’s pause and reflect on a very simple way we can all contribute to the plan and effort. Each of us can begin to appreciate the work of people in our daily lives who labor and toil. We need to make an extra effort to “see” the people who tend to our basic needs, who build our homes, who fix our plumbing, people who grow our food and people who teach our children.
We must fully understand that our workforce is more than just an idea, more than a percentage, more than an issue that needs to be addressed. Our workforce is our community, our neighbors, our family. We belong to one another. A community that finds ways to appreciate each segment of its people is a healthy community.
Happy Labor Day.
By Candance Brake President and CEO Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce