Growing Future Economic Development Leaders
The Emerging Leaders Spring Training is a half-day program with topics that focus on the needs of early-career economic developers.
Attendees can learn from experienced leaders as well as build lasting relationships through networking.
To develop the event around the timeliest topics for emerging leaders, MEDA's Emerging Leaders Committee, a volunteer group of members, plans the agenda using survey responses from members that identify as emerging leaders.
Highlights from Previous Spring Training Events
As MEDA's Strategic Plan includes the encouragement of certification for economic developers in Michigan, we held a session on Building Your Career Path with Economic Development Certifications in which established leaders shared how certification as enhanced their careers and answered questions about obtaining certifications.
Going into 2024, creating community awareness of economic development projects was a vital topic as there was push back in communities around the state that was leading to major headlines. "Skipping the Stall" was added to the agenda to share strategies for communicating projects in a way that made community members feel informed.
In 2023, the Committee invited two Emerging Star Award recipients and one Birgit M. Klohs Fellowship recipient to talk about their growth as emerging leaders in economic development. They shared how they broke barriers, overcame challenges, and exceeded expectations.
Other topics from previous events include Becoming Business Savvy, Harnessing Talent Programs, If You Want It Built, They Will Come … and You Can Help, and Responding to Housing Needs to Attract/Retain an Employer. Since 2012, this half-day event continues to be popular among emerging leaders.
