TRANSFORMING HOW REGIONS GROW GOOD JOBS AND CONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS
INC works nationally to build resilient economies and expand economic opportunity. We work on the ground to build industry-led sector partnerships and advance the field through research and learning.
What we do
INC equips practitioners and policymakers with practical tools and strategies to change how they engage with the private sector to build healthy economies and expand access to economic opportunity. Our approach is grounded in a field-tested understanding of what works that combines lessons learned from the fields of economic development, workforce development and education.
Next Gen Sector Partnerships
INC developed and scaled the nationally recognized Next Generation Sector Partnership model, active in more than 100 communities across the country. Next Gen Sector Partnerships are a proven, place-based approach for mobilizing private and public leaders around critical industry sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, technology, construction and others to strengthen regional economies and connect people to jobs. INC developed this distinct and nationally recognized methodology and step-by-step process based on years of experience in the field. We facilitate a national community of practice dedicated to supporting practitioners and business leaders engaged in building Next Gen Sector Partnerships across the country.
Research & Learning
INC designs and leads research that integrates learning across the fields of economic development, workforce development and education. Our research drives change in how policymakers and practitioners build strong, innovative and resilient economies and expand access to good jobs. We bridge theory and practice, combining lessons learned from decades of field experience with evidence-based research to shape how regions and states build resilient economies and strengthen education and training systems.
What We Believe
Big Ideas that Guide Our Work
All people deserve access to good jobs. But access to good jobs depends on two critical dynamics: first, industry sectors must be stable, growing and innovating. Second, education and training systems must stay deeply attuned and responsive to the needs of those sectors so that people can build the skills they need for good jobs. Both are essential to building healthy economies.
Building strong, inclusive economies requires integrating education, workforce and economic development strategies. Strong economies depend on skilled people and skilled people drive strong economies. But our public systems are set up in a way that separates the work of growing jobs (economic development) from the work of preparing people for jobs (workforce development and education). We believe that integrating these systems is essential to build healthy economies and grow good jobs.
Business leaders must play stronger, more strategic roles in the work of building healthy regional economies. Too often, business leaders play limited, passive, advisory roles in support of education, workforce development and economic development programs. The result? Well-intentioned efforts to grow critical industries and prepare people for jobs fail to achieve their intended impact because they aren’t grounded in the real needs of industry. We believe that business leaders must define and champion an agenda for sector competitiveness and growth, co-investing to ensure that both their company and community grow and thrive together.
How we work
INC specializes in the art and science of building effective, enduring public-private partnerships.
Over a decade, we have worked in 100+ communities around the country to build sustainable public-private partnerships. Our expertise is grounded in this practical, field experience. Put simply, we know what it takes to increase stakeholder capacity to do hard work well.
We are trusted, knowledgeable advisors, translators and brokers of field-tested best practices, not top-down experts with unpracticed theories.
We specialize in curating and creating practical tools, frameworks, how-to’s, process step-by-steps, success criteria and pitfalls that back up theories and support innovations in the field.
We have a track record of cultivating shared accountability among industry, economic development, workforce development, education and government stakeholders without using funding as leverage.
We are experts in facilitating peer learning, designing conversations with know-how and skill to maximize shared learning and field-building, using peer/practitioner expertise to do so.
We see intersections that others do not, bridging the traditionally separate fields of workforce development, economic development and education.
We don’t hide the the fact that this work is hard, and long-term. We embrace continuous learning and prepare regions to do the same. We know that achieving impact takes sustained effort that extends beyond short-term initiatives and grant cycles. We know what it takes to play the long game well.