(Audio of the SRDC Annual Meeting)
The 30th annual meeting of Springfield Regional Development Corporation (SRDC) was held on November 1st and featured remarks by the leadership of the Vermont State College (VSC) system including the President of the soon-to-be-launched Vermont State University (VSU).
Sophie Zdatny, Chancellor of the VSC, and Dr. Parwinder Grewal, the Inaugural President of the VSU, provided background information and explained what they saw as the benefits of the reconfiguration of the state college system. The realignment of Northern Vermont University, Castleton State College and Vermont Technical College into Vermont State University will occur in the summer of 2023.
Dr. Grewal highlighted the strategic goals of the VSU, including strengthening career readiness and improving access to programs and courses throughout Vermont. Both speakers emphasized the importance of the colleges, including CCV, for training and workforce needs. Zdatny said that Pat Moulton, most recently the President of Vermont Tech (and onetime SRDC E/D) would be serving as the Executive Director of Workforce Development for the state college system.
Workforce development was a running theme through the Annual Meeting, as Executive Director Bob Flint and SRDC’s Amanda Sidler, who coordinates the Springfield Area Working Communities Challenge, both included the topic in their remarks. Sidler emphasized the importance of employers “knowing their workforce”, and their needs, in and out of the workplace.
Flint also provided updates on various SRDC projects in the region, including the ongoing demolition and cleanup effort at the former J & L Plant 1 in Springfield. Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC) Interim Executive Director Marguerite Dibble shared the latest about the work at BRIC, including the recent award of an EDA “Build to Scale” grant.
For more information about SRDC, please visit www.springfielddevelopment.org or call 802-885-3061. You can also follow SRDC on Facebook and Twitter.