Workforce Development and Action Plan Services

The vendor is required to provide workforce housing strategy and action plan for special areas 3 and 4 that addresses current and future housing needs while supporting regional workforce development and economic growth.
1. Develop a regional housing strategy 
•    Identify housing gaps, priorities, and solutions tailored to the needs of the local workforce and communities.
2. Create a workforce housing action plan
•    Increased economic development training and employer best practice sessions (e.g., housing as a factor in workforce retention);
•    Increased recruitment and job placement activity through improved housing access for in-migrants; 
•    Increased community engagement through focus groups, business engagement, and community surveys; 
•    Enhanced capacity for economic development by mentoring the local team in housing-related stakeholder engagement and implementation readiness.
3. Advance workforce development strategy implementation 
•    Support implementation of housing-related recommendations from the special area’s workforce development strategy.
4. Build local capacity 
•    Support the economic development officer (EDO) and contracted administration positions by enhancing capacity in stakeholder engagement, facilitation of focus groups, and data collection.
5. Align with small community opportunity program (SCOP’s) "return to rural" initiative 
•    Ensure integration of the housing strategy with workforce attraction, retention, and integration goals under the SCOP-funded “return to rural” initiative.
6. Support rural-appropriate housing development 
•    Recommend practical, scalable housing models—transitional, rental, and permanent— across income levels suited to rural contexts.
7. Engage employers and community stakeholders 
•    Incorporate employer input and community feedback through structured engagement to ensure buy-in and relevance of proposed solutions.
- Responsible for developing recommendations and a step-by-step implementation plan those addresses:
•    Integration of workforce development strategy with a housing strategy with the region’s workforce development goals, supporting job creation and regional economic sustainability; 
•    Expansion of workforce housing options tailored to rural realities, including transitional, rental, and permanent housing suited to various income levels; 
•    Employer-informed solutions and business community buy-in for proposed housing actions; 
•    Community-informed design using qualitative and quantitative research methods; 
•    Outcomes that directly support SCOP KPIs outlined.