2026 Workforce Guide

Workforce has been cited in Site Selection Magazine’s annual survey of corporate consultants as a top factor in site selection decisions for several years in a row. The 2026 Workforce Guide by Conway Data Inc. is a special report that offers insight and analysis into best workforce development practices and alliances around the U.S.

View the Guide

Features

CASE STUDY: PENNGLOBE: Connecticut Manufacturer Sparks Light-Bulb Moments with Innovative Workforce Development Program

A Connecticut manufacturer sparks light-bulb moments with an innovative workforce development program.

STEM: Brain Gain: Where STEM Skills and Jobs Are Multiplying

Where STEM graduates and jobs are aggregating — and why that’s important to regional and global competitiveness.

APPRENTICESHIPS: Building the Skills that Build A Country

How a regional transit service in Louisiana invests in its regional workforce.

TRADE EDUCATION: How to Create The Next Generation Of Industry Leaders

W.W. Grainger says they are for “the ones who get it done.” When it comes to engaging teens in career pathways, those words continue to ring true.

HOW ENTREPRENEURS WORK: Your Next Employee May Be an Entrepreneur

Anna Grace Maples is not your average 20-something. Meet the next generation of career ladder climbers.

RURAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Research Reveals Challenges, Solutions To Recruiting Workers in Rural Communities

Research reveals the challenges and solutions to recruiting workers in rural communities.

AI & THE WORKFORCE: HOW AI IS CHANGING THE FUTURE OF WORK

Having AI-ready talent is no longer an option for metro economies. A Brookings report shows where top talent calls home.

CASE STUDY: HUGS CAFÉ: Serving Up Something Unique

In Texas, disability is no hindrance to gainful employment, as one innovative business clearly demonstrates.

SKILLSUSA: Eyes On the Prize:Top Performing States & Institutions At SkillsUSA

An innovative competition pits young learners against each other to see who has the best workplace skills. Here are the results.

UNIVERSITIES: Bridging the Gap Between Higher Education and Workforce

Finding workforce gold in the Golden Triangle of the UK and in Arkansas.

AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE: From Shopping Mall to Learning Destination

Career and technical education gets a much-needed boost in Central Texas.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES: How One Community College Is Preparing Students For Long-Term Professional Success

How a New York college’s focus on workforce readiness pays dividends for semiconductor workers and their companies.

HIGH SCHOOL CAREER PATHWAYS: From High School to A High-Quality Role

From Nevada Career Mapping to a new CTE high school in New Mexico, here’s where high-schoolers are getting a head start.

CASE STUDY: DAYTON ROGERS: Investing in Our Future: How Manufacturers Can Grow The Industry from the Ground Up

A manufacturing executive offers pro tips on how to find and attract top bluecollar talent.

TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONNECTION INTELLIGENCE REPORT: Community Colleges: Named That Way For a Reason

The Texas Economic Development Connection (TexasEDConnection), a coalition of small and midsized cities and counties and their allies across the state, exists to connect mom-and-pop, startup and entrepreneurial operations with the economic development resources and optimal locations that are just as available to the little guy as they are to the corporate giants.