With an area more than 6,600 square miles, a population over 2.2 million, a workforce of nearly 1.7 million, more than 70,000 businesses, 2 states, 7 counties, 24 cities, 27 colleges and universities, 28 business chambers, 41 school districts, and 61 economic development organizations the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area is a vibrant, diverse, and complex region.
The quality of the region’s workforce is a primary driver of economic development and the region’s overall economic health. Regions who most effectively manage their talent are likely to be more competitive and will attract the quality of jobs people need to support themselves and their families.
The Workforce Investment Boards representing the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Area have developed a unified approach to serve industry, support economic development, and guide public workforce investments.
Our partnership, the Columbia-Willamette Regional Workforce Collaborative, aligns our capabilities and resources to improve the region’s ability to leverage and layer funding streams, to coordinate ideas and strategies, to pursue resources and fill gaps, to link workforce supply and industry demand, and enable life-long learning and advancement.
