Manufacturers – large and small – sustain the economic base in the Annapolis Valley, contributing to nine percent of jobs. To support this significant sector, the Valley REN is leading the Valley Manufacturing Taskforce.
Taskforce Launch
On August 16, at Michelin’s Waterville plant, leaders from the Valley’s largest manufacturers met with the Valley REN and public sector service providers to kick off the Valley Manufacturing Taskforce. Employers in the room reached consensus on the three most challenging issues to address:
● labour
● energy
● improving the appeal of manufacturing careers and the Valley region
Needs Assessment Survey
Immediately after, the Valley REN launched a Manufacturing Needs Assessment Survey, conducted by a respected market research firm in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Insights. We will bring the results to the Valley Manufacturing Taskforce Summit on November 29.
Taskforce Summit
The Valley REN is hosting an invitation-only Valley Manufacturing Taskforce Summit on November 29. We will report on the results from our recent Manufacturing Needs Assessment Survey and provide a summary of key insights obtained by our BusinessNOW team during site visits to local manufacturers. The Summit is designed to give leading manufacturing executives an opportunity to shape an action strategy and join action teams to address the top three challenges. Municipal leaders in our region are also invited, along with government service providers and local MLAs.
If you are a manufacturer in the Annapolis Valley and would like to learn more about the Taskforce or Summit, please contact Richelle Brown Redden, BusinessNOW Coordinator at the Valley REN. Email: rbrownredden@valleyren.ca │ Phone: (902) 678-2200
As research analyst for the Valley REN, Rachel Brighton brings 25 years’ experience as a journalist, editor, publisher, manager, consultant and not-for-profit director in Canada and Australia.
