The Wichita City Council approved $150 thousand in funding to study the future of work and workforce needs in Wichita.
A recent national report says that nearly 48 percent of tasks in all occupations in the Wichita region could be automated.
The council heard from several experts, including Dr. Sheree Utash, the President of WSU Tech. She says the future challenges the community faces are real. "This is not about replacing people. This is about giving opportunity to our community to up-skill and re-skill to what the jobs will entail in the future," she said.
The study will help develop a comprehensive strategy for developing and retaining a talented workforce for the region. The total cost of the study is $500 thousand.
The city plans to use part of its ARPA Community Initiatives allocation to fund the study. If they cannot use ARPA funds, they will make adjustments in their economic development fund.
The Sedgwick County Commission will take up a similar funding request Wednesday. The State of Kansas and the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas are other partners in the project.





