County part of regional economic development effort
Comet staff report

Anyone interested in being part of the $15 million workforce/ economic development initiative underway in Tippecanoe and 13 other counties is invited to participate in "The First WIRED-North Central Indiana Regional Leadership Learning Lab and Strategic Doing Forum."

The free event will be held at Indiana University-Kokomo on Feb. 22 and 23; participants may attend either or both sessions.

The Feb. 22 Learning Lab session will run from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and will introduce the WIRED initiative. Feb. 23 session, from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., will be a roll-up-your-sleeves session on important, practical ideas that can be quickly implemented.

For more information, contact Mark Smith, WIRED project administrator, at 765/236-0955.

The WIRED federal grant- one of just 13 awarded nationwide from 96 applications by the U.S. Department of Labor- is being used to encourage entrepreneurs; increase job growth in advanced manufacturing, materials and agribusiness enterprises; and educate mature residents for the changing job market.

The grant was applied for by a network of economic development, workforce and education organizations in Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Fulton, Howard, Miami, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Wabash, Warren and White counties.