Conference all about opportunity

It's no secret that the Valley is growing. All that growth brings opportunity. But it also brings a responsibility to manage it wisely.

Residents and business people alike have their yearly shot this week at learning more about how growth affects the area's economy when the Mat-Su Resource Conservation and Development Council presents its ninth-annual Valley Economic Development Conference. The conference, chock-full of guest speakers and diverse topics of interest, is set for Monday at the Best Western Lake Lucille Inn.

The theme this year is &#8220future opportunity for the Valley workforce.” With the area's explosive growth and a couple of high-stakes state construction projects on the horizon, the conference is a timely event for anyone interested in what's at stake for the Valley and its residents in the coming years.

Proposals like the Knik Arm crossing, a new state mega-prison and natural gas pipeline, as well as ongoing interest in development at Port MacKenzie and South Denali, hold the promise of a brighter future for area residents. Just how bright the future is, ultimately, will have much to do with how we, as a community, prepare for and respond to the opportunity around us.

University of Alaska President Mark Hamilton is among the guests. He is scheduled to deliver a luncheon address to the conference about the importance of educational institutions and the role they play in economic development by keeping the work force adequately trained and qualified for the jobs of the 21st century.

Borough leaders have become increasingly aware of the importance of Mat-Su College to this mission. There is growing interest, too, in developing four-year programs for the local campus. Monday's conference will provide a good opportunity for state and university officials, who don't yet share the community's enthusiasm for the transition, to hear this message again.

The activities kick off at 9 a.m. with short updates on the Knik Arm bridge, prison, Port MacKenzie and the borough's South Denali project. This will be followed by a panel discussion focusing on student perceptions of their vocational future in the Valley.

A second, complementary panel discussion will take up the resources and assets available to students to help them be successful.

Lunch and Mark Hamilton will follow, then an afternoon panel will discuss how workforce development connects with economic development. Then, conference participants will break up into groups to brainstorm how best to transform ideas into action to maximize development potential.

The day wraps up with a sharing session and a presentation by Borough Mayor Curt Menard, who will summarize the day's results and ideas on how to proceed to grow the borough's economy.

All in all, it's a great opportunity to be part of shaping the future.

Those who have not yet registered and paid the $30 conference fee, which includes lunch, may do so at the door by arriving between 8:30 and 9 a.m.