Workforce & Economic Development
Over the past 12 months, the Fort Smith area has experienced significant growth.
Over 315 commercial building permits have been filed since January through mid-September with a value of $480 Million. Just for reference, this region invested only $154 Million in 2012.
The Peak Innovation Center is in its second year. Peak is a state-of-the-art K-12 career technical educational center. Eleventh grade students from across the region are taking concurrent credit courses that offer hands on training directly related to the career that they wish to pursue. Upon graduation, these students will have the skills needed to immediately enter the workforce or springboard them to UAFS so that they can further their education.
The Fort Smith Regional Chamber partnered with Be Pro Be Proud Arkansas and the Arkansas State Chamber in hosting the 2023 Arkansas River Valley Draft Day back in March at Peak. Draft Day is a two-day hiring event that matches employers with regional high school seniors based on student career interest and employer needs. Almost three hundred seniors participated in employer interviews and a career expo.
The Arkansas River Valley Draft Day success is measured by seeing high school seniors secure great job offers for after graduation. We look forward to seeing more offers extended next March. Following Draft Day, the seniors and employers were recognized at the annual “Signing Day” event held at the EXPO’s First Friday Breakfast. As a reminder, the Fort Smith Chamber was the first in the state to celebrate graduates and the companies with a “Signing Day “ event 6 years ago!
This is just the beginning. More and more people are moving to Fort Smith and our students are now recognizing that a great career can be had right in their own backyard.
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