Contact: Nicole Armendariz
262-548-7902
narmendariz@waukeshacounty.gov
“Today’s announcement by Foxconn is historic. It is one of the largest economic development projects in US history, and it will change the financial landscape of Southeast Wisconsin. A deal this size extends beyond municipal boundaries in both execution and regional impact. It also demonstrates the vital role that collaboration and partnerships play in creating lasting economic development.
“First, I want to thank Governor Scott Walker for his leadership and his commitment to economic development. Both were vital to landing this once in a lifetime opportunity. The Governor engaged regional partnerships, including the legislature; the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC); the Milwaukee 7 (M7) and its partners; and county and municipal leaders to work together with a common goal. Public and private partners rolled up their sleeves and worked together to bring Foxconn here. This is what a true partnership looks like, and it is the key to growth statewide.
“Now that Foxconn is on its way, these partnerships will become even more vital. Our work is just beginning. This deal will require a diverse workforce to fill thousands of new skilled positions. Local, regional and state leaders must work together to scale up an education and training infrastructure to support the growing economy and business climate.
“We are already seeing success in our efforts to grow our high-tech workforce. For example, Madison is ranked number one in the nation for tech job momentum. That’s in addition to Milwaukee’s pool of tech talent. Through regional partnerships we can tap into existing local economic development infrastructure and relationships to bolster our existing workforce development infrastructure and to continue to attract top talent to the state.
I’ve said before that the M7 has a chance to shake things up when it comes to thinking about how to attract national and international businesses to our area. That shake up is happening now through collaboration to build a world-class, thriving economy.”
Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow is a co-chair of the Milwaukee 7, the region’s economic partnership. County Executive Farrow recently led a group of private and public sector partners in establishing the Waukesha County Center for Growth, an economic development organization that serves as a one-stop shop for new and expanding businesses in Waukesha County.
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