Join the Columbia-Willamette Workforce Collective (CWWC) for a lunch event bringing employers and policymakers together to identify actionable solutions to the region’s workforce needs.

Workforce challenges continue to shape business strategy, economic competitiveness, and opportunity across our region. Join employers, policymakers, and workforce leaders from across the Portland-SW Washington metro region for a candid conversation about where talent gaps exist today, what’s working to address them, and what more is needed to meet industry demand.

Moderated by Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall, the event will feature employer leaders from the construction, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors sharing real-world perspectives on workforce needs, business impacts, and practical strategies to attract, develop, and retain talent. Following the panel, policymakers and workforce leaders will join the discussion to identify actions we can take now to improve the system and scale solutions.

Meeting Workforce Needs
Wednesday, October 7, 11:30am – 1:30pm
University Club, 1225 SW 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97204
Tickets: $30 early discount, use code EarlyBird (through September 11), $40 regular tickets. Lunch is included.

Agenda: 

11:30 AM – Lunch + Networking

11:50 AM – 12:20 PM – State of the Workforce
Liza Morehead, PhD., Research and Data Analyst: Worksystems

A presentation about what’s changed since the release of the 2025 State of the Workforce Report, focusing on unemployment trends, population changes, cost-of-living pressures, and employment trends in key sectors. Following the presentation, there will be time for additional networking and discussion about the data.

12:20 PM – Employer Panel
Tina Pham: Pham Construction
Rachel Russo: Benchmade Knife Company
Riikka Salonen: BCT Partners

A candid, solutions-focused discussion about talent gaps, innovative ways to address them, and barriers that remain.

12:50 PM – Policymaker Response + Discussion
A facilitated conversation with policymakers, informed by themes emerging from the employer panel and focused on action the workforce system can take now to scale solutions.

01:20 PM – Call to Action + Closing Remarks

About the CWWC:
Established in 2007, the Columbia-Willamette Workforce Collaborative is a dynamic partnership of the region’s three Workforce Development Boards: Clackamas Workforce Partnership, Workforce SW Washington, and Worksystems. We deliver a unified approach to serving industry, guiding public workforce training investments to better address the needs of our combined labor shed. We recognize that job seekers often travel across the region for the right opportunity—and that employers are looking for the best talent, regardless of where they live. By collaborating across borders, we strengthen our regional talent pool and lay the foundation for a more resilient, inclusive economy.