RACINE COUNTY - "Work force development is at a crucial crossroads," begins the text of the landmark development plan released Thursday.

The plan, "Higher Expectations: A Workforce Development Strategy for Racine County," is designed to guide this county out of its job-related ills by covering all the bases involved in creating a vibrant employment picture:

- Raising standards and expectations for public education.

- Supporting stronger, more financially stable families.

- Creating jobs in communities with high concentrations of unemployed workers.

- Enhancing work force transportation alternatives.

- Improving job-seeker information about opportunities in new and expanding businesses.

- Communicating a more positive community image.

Some business officials had been involved for more than two years in the effort which led to the 60-page plan. It was written by the Arlington, Va.-based Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness, an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote knowledge-based economic development efforts at the local and regional levels.

In its introductory paragraph, "Higher Expectations" reads, "We can either believe that our current reactive response to the global trends affecting our work force is adequate to meet our needs, or we can demand of ourselves a more proactive approach to face our underlying issues head on."

The plan aims to develop by 2020 "a vital, dynamic economy characterized by a work force that is fully prepared for the world of work."

"This is only 10 percent of the plan," Workforce Development Board Chairman and Twin Disc Chairman Michael Batten said Thursday. "The other 90 percent is implementation."

Racine County Executive William McReynolds called the plan data-driven and said: "We know what the problems are. Now we can go help address them."

According to the plan, "Racine County is poised for a future of prosperity." It cites how traditional employers here have changed to compete globally, the area benefits from being in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, and the county has the capacity to attract a growing residential base.

"At the same time, Racine County is not fully ready to take advantage of these opportunities," the plan said. "We have scanned the horizon for national best practices that might be applicable to our situation. However, our goals and strategies are mostly homegrown and address the priorities as we see them."

Core challenges

Each of the six "core challenge" areas listed above received detailed attention in the plan. An example is No. 3, "Creating jobs in communities with concentrations of unemployed workers."

This item primarily refers to the City of Racine's inner city areas. The plan says the challenge is to attract new companies and help existing ones expand and grow in areas with the greatest number of jobless residents.

The plan's goal is to create 200 new jobs a year from 2009-14 in those areas. The report lists eight preliminary tactics, such as using incentive programs to make high-unemployment areas more attractive for business.

Another tactic listed is to examine the capital gaps facing inner-city businesses. Agencies should also consider a new micro-lending program in high-unemployment areas.

It's not enough to bring jobs to the jobless, as the report acknowledges; employment skills are also needed. And one way is to create stable families, another challenge in the plan. The report cites the Baltimore-based Center for Urban Families as a sample model for Racine County.

Similarly, the plan calls for more worker transportation options and cites another Baltimore model, the Workforce Transportation and Referral Center. That center "coordinates reliable and affordable transportation for everyone (job seekers, job developers, staffing agencies, employers and the public)."

The plan does not necessarily mean spending more public money, Batten and McReynolds said during a visit to The Journal Times.

Batten said the private sector stands to benefit and may be able to help. "If it could be done entirely within the private sector, why not start there?"

For example, he said entrepreneurs may emerge to provide flexible transportation options to connect workers with jobs.

"I think the key will be the convenors" for each of the six areas the plan addresses, said Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce President Roger Caron. "Those folks will be responsible for bringing people together around that challenge and further developing the tactics.

"It's an aggressive, very all-encompassing effort."

To see the full report, go to:

http://www.wdc.racineco.com

and click on the "Higher Expectations" link.