CLEVELAND — With the goal of attracting more talent to Cleveland to fill open positions in growing fields like IT and healthcare, 11 nonprofit, public and private entities have formed the Cleveland Talent Alliance to develop a “seamless and coordinated system to identify, attach, navigate, engage, welcome and retain the best talent in Cleveland," according to a release from the newly formed group.
“Talent is becoming a critical differentiator for regions that are growing and prospering,” said Baiju R. Shah, CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership. “By building a system that addresses the entire talent cycle, Cleveland will be better positioned for success. The initial focus on the region’s fastest growth sectors and fields will complement business growth efforts while also providing a template that can be applied to other industries as the work progresses.”
Current members include Destination Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Leadership Center, Team NEO, Cuyahoga County, Engage! Cleveland, JobsOhio, Global Cleveland, MAGNET, Fund for our Economic Future and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.
“For the Cleveland region to become one of the fastest growing and most diverse, inclusive and welcoming metro areas in the Midwest by 2030, it is essential to attract and retain talent in a distinct and coordinated way,” said David Gilbert, president and CEO of Destination Cleveland, in a news release. “Research combined with previous efforts – including Engage! Cleveland’s Discover the CLE campaign – show that audiences are open to considering Cleveland after being introduced to the region. By leveraging the strongest capabilities of all partners, we can be more efficient and effective in achieving our goals. Our business and civic community must collaborate to attract talent to increase our region’s growth.”
The planning of the alliance started in 2019 but was put on hold during the pandemic.
The goal of the alliance in 2022 is to focus on the operating model, creating processes, identifying key strategies and developing key performance indicators.
Outlined in the news release, The Cleveland Talent Alliance said its “high-level goals for years two through five" are to:
- Generate interest in Cleveland as a place to live and work
- Increase consideration of Cleveland as a place to live and work, with an initial focus on the fast growth sectors of IT/technology (including financial services), healthcare and smart manufacturing
- Welcome newcomers and increase the retention rate of both new and current residents.
“With world class amenities, a robust job market and a low cost of living, Cleveland is the ideal market for young professionals,” said Ashley Basile Oeken, president of Engage! Cleveland. “Our goal is to connect young professionals to these many opportunities and help them build an incredible career and life in the Cleveland area.”
The Cleveland Talent Alliance is hiring a director. Click here to apply.
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