Tackling Workforce Challenges and Embracing Innovation Opportunities

(from left to right) Daniel Oney, PhD, Research Director of Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M, Kelvin Walker, MBA, CEO of Dallas Citizens Council, Cullum Clark, PhD, Director of Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative and John Stephens, Board President of Dallas Economic Development Corporation

At the 2024 Economic Outlook event hosted by Dallas Business Journal, panelists identified job creation and workforce development as major challenges in the Metroplex. The need to re-skill younger adults and under-skilled individuals was emphasized, with a focus on creating a bridge for those unable to quit their current jobs for extended education. The goal is to establish partnerships that facilitate access to training and contribute to a more vibrant and prosperous workforce.

Pegasus Park, highlighted by Cullum Clark as an opportunity for building an innovation district in Dallas, particularly in life sciences and biotech, is already attracting companies and was chosen as the national headquarters for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA H). The ARPA H Dallas hub, according to Stephens, provides a platform for hospitals like UT Southwestern to test new research, combining technical training to meet manufacturing needs and potentially kickstarting a new drug manufacturing economy.