[Vision2020] PR - Trailing Spouse Initatives on the Palouse

[Stephanie Kalasz]

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Story Contact: Robin Ohlgren, Co-Chair PKC
208.301.1011
info at palouseknowledgecorridor.com<mailto:info at palouseknowledgecorridor.com>


Trailing Spouse Initiatives on the Palouse

March 14, 2014 (Moscow, Idaho; Pullman, Washington) - On November 7, 2013, the Palouse Knowledge Corridor held a dynamic workshop on the issue of Trailing Spouses or those people who relocate to a new city due to a partners new work assignment.  As the Palouse Knowledge Corridor works to match innovation with opportunity and promote the assets of the Palouse, the understanding that our workforce opportunities are strengthened by having resources for trailing spouses in our area.

A panel discussion that included Zarrina Juraqulova, Washington State University, Debbie Klein Robertson, City of Moscow; Steve Cooke University of Idaho; Denise Bauer, University of Idaho; Tedi Roach, Express Employment Professionals; Dave Darrow, Idaho Department of Labor; and Vicki Leeper, Pullman Chamber of Commerce provided a great review of the possibilities open to those on the Palouse as well as resources that can be built upon to better serve the community as a whole.  Special thanks go to Pete Klaiber from the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council,  for his assistance in moderating the workshop.

A specific theme being addressed in the short term is the idea of entrepreneurism as a job option on the Palouse. In June 2014, the Palouse Knowledge Corridor will offer the Be the Entrepreneur Bootcamp, an intensive five-day immersion into the complexity of business development, structured for those interested in building a new business or growing an existing business. The event will consist of three tracks focusing on industries already essential to the Palouse economic base including value-added agriculture, animal health, and technology in all stages of business development.  In addition to classes held at the event, each participant group or individual will be paired with a mentor to foster the business incubation and growth process.  At the end of the sessions, participants will have a fully-developed business model that will have been vetted by industry leaders and evaluated by potential investors.

Additional projects the Palouse Knowledge Corridor plans to explore further as a result of the Trailing Spouse workshop include bolstering a centralized clearinghouse for jobs and job seekers in partnership with the Darrow, representative from the Department of Labor.  The Palouse Knowledge Corridor will be working to provide opportunities for networking, recognized as lacking for trailing spouses in our area, potentially as brown bag luncheons, annual welcome to the community events, and hosting of new community members by Palouse Knowledge Corridor board members and associates.

For more information on the Trailing Spouse Workshop or the Be the Entrepreneur Bootcamp, please contact the Palouse Knowledge Corridor at info at palouseknowledgecorridor.com<mailto:info at palouseknowledgecorridor.com>.

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The Palouse Knowledge Corridor is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to match innovation with opportunity, promote assets of the Palouse and foster collaborative efforts with universities, private sector, economic development agencies and government.



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