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    <title>Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development - Episodes Tagged with “Bionetwork”</title>
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    <pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:15:00 -0600</pubDate>
    <description>Dane Carlson explores the strategies, ideas, and insights that are driving economic development forward into the future.  You'll hear new insights from passionate ED's about their successes and struggles, and you'll learn from attraction and retention experts about how to apply actionable strategies inside your EDO.  We'll help take your organization, your community, and your career to the next level.
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    <itunes:subtitle>Actionable economic development strategies and stories</itunes:subtitle>
    <itunes:author>Dane Carlson</itunes:author>
    <itunes:summary>Dane Carlson explores the strategies, ideas, and insights that are driving economic development forward into the future.  You'll hear new insights from passionate ED's about their successes and struggles, and you'll learn from attraction and retention experts about how to apply actionable strategies inside your EDO.  We'll help take your organization, your community, and your career to the next level.
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    <itunes:keywords>econ dev, economic development, ed</itunes:keywords>
    <itunes:owner>
      <itunes:name>Dane Carlson</itunes:name>
      <itunes:email>show@econdevshow.com</itunes:email>
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  <title>202: How Community Colleges Power Statewide Economic Development with John Loyack</title>
  <link>https://podcast.econdevshow.com/202</link>
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  <pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:15:00 -0600</pubDate>
  <author>Dane Carlson</author>
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  <itunes:episode>202</itunes:episode>
  <itunes:title>How Community Colleges Power Statewide Economic Development with John Loyack</itunes:title>
  <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
  <itunes:author>Dane Carlson</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>A deep dive into how North Carolina’s community college system quietly powers workforce development, customized training, and apprenticeship at scale, with lessons every economic developer can steal.In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with John Loyack of the North Carolina Community College System to unpack what “workforce development” looks like when you’re the person who gets the call the day after the ribbon cutting asking where the next 500–5,000 workers will come from—and how North Carolina answers that question through four major tools: NC Edge customized training, ApprenticeshipNC, the Bio Network (now stretching from life sciences into food/beverage and natural products), and a small business center network embedded across 58 community colleges, all while pushing for tighter collaboration so employers experience one connected system instead of disconnected silos. 
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  <itunes:duration>26:19</itunes:duration>
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  <description>In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with John Loyack of the North Carolina Community College System to unpack what “workforce development” looks like when you’re the person who gets the call the day after the ribbon cutting asking where the next 500–5,000 workers will come from—and how North Carolina answers that question through four major tools: NC Edge customized training, ApprenticeshipNC, the Bio Network (now stretching from life sciences into food/beverage and natural products), and a small business center network embedded across 58 community colleges, all while pushing for tighter collaboration so employers experience one connected system instead of disconnected silos. 
Like this show? Please leave us a review here (https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/) — even one sentence helps! 
10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers
Treat workforce development as core infrastructure, not a support function.
Engage community colleges early, not after a project announcement.
Promote customized training programs aggressively to prospects and existing employers.
Use pre-hire assessments to reduce employer risk on major projects.
Encourage employers, even competitors, to collaborate on shared talent needs.
Leverage apprenticeship programs beyond manufacturing into healthcare, construction, and trades.
Think regionally, not jurisdiction by jurisdiction, when building talent pipelines.
Repurpose successful training models across industries where skills overlap.
Break down silos between workforce, small business, and economic development teams.
Communicate these resources constantly because most businesses do not know they exist. Special Guest: John Loyack.
</description>
  <itunes:keywords>econdev, economic development, eco devo, workforce development, community colleges, customized training, apprenticeship, NC Edge, BioNetwork, economic development, talent pipelines, manufacturing workforce, regional collaboration</itunes:keywords>
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    <![CDATA[<p>In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with John Loyack of the North Carolina Community College System to unpack what “workforce development” looks like when you’re the person who gets the call the day after the ribbon cutting asking where the next 500–5,000 workers will come from—and how North Carolina answers that question through four major tools: NC Edge customized training, ApprenticeshipNC, the Bio Network (now stretching from life sciences into food/beverage and natural products), and a small business center network embedded across 58 community colleges, all while pushing for tighter collaboration so employers experience one connected system instead of disconnected silos. </p>

<p><a href="https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/" rel="nofollow">Like this show? Please leave us a review here</a> — even one sentence helps! </p>

<h2>10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers</h2>

<ol>
<li>Treat workforce development as core infrastructure, not a support function.</li>
<li>Engage community colleges early, not after a project announcement.</li>
<li>Promote customized training programs aggressively to prospects and existing employers.</li>
<li>Use pre-hire assessments to reduce employer risk on major projects.</li>
<li>Encourage employers, even competitors, to collaborate on shared talent needs.</li>
<li>Leverage apprenticeship programs beyond manufacturing into healthcare, construction, and trades.</li>
<li>Think regionally, not jurisdiction by jurisdiction, when building talent pipelines.</li>
<li>Repurpose successful training models across industries where skills overlap.</li>
<li>Break down silos between workforce, small business, and economic development teams.</li>
<li>Communicate these resources constantly because most businesses do not know they exist.</li>
</ol><p>Special Guest: John Loyack.</p><p>Sponsored By:</p><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://sitehunt.io">Sitehunt</a>: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://sitehunt.io">If your property data is scattered or out of date, you're losing projects.

Sitehunt gives economic developers an AI-powered property database and instant RFI responses.

Schedule a demo today!</a></li></ul><p>Links:</p><ul><li><a title="NCEdge | NC Community Colleges - NCCCS" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/businesses/ncedge/">NCEdge | NC Community Colleges - NCCCS</a></li><li><a title="John C. Loyack | LinkedIn" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncloyack/">John C. Loyack | LinkedIn</a></li><li><a title="N.C. Community College System Reports Strong Year for Flagship NCEdge Customized Training Program" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nc-community-college-system-reports-strong-year-for-flagship-ncedge-customized-training-program-302550055.html">N.C. Community College System Reports Strong Year for Flagship NCEdge Customized Training Program</a></li><li><a title="Exclusive | Aerospace Startup JetZero to Start Building Futuristic Planes in North Carolina - WSJ" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/jetzero-north-carolina-blended-wing-aircraft-9f140b82?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd9Y6Svffap5Ezdinzqg7tjVvy3LLy1eEUMLEa_kO6eZDzDxbMaor1XD4kkmpc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69090fee&amp;gaa_sig=07WrhUyErAD7RRgJO5XeorhMr-jx6fgJqWg2_JTNLwGv1ZNi5bt80szJ23qlTDpGRE8cn2yHK5ZgVYhvKsWxVg%3D%3D">Exclusive | Aerospace Startup JetZero to Start Building Futuristic Planes in North Carolina - WSJ</a></li><li><a title="How community colleges are fueling N.C.’s workforce, with John Loyack" rel="nofollow" href="https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/how-community-colleges-are-fueling">How community colleges are fueling N.C.’s workforce, with John Loyack</a></li></ul>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>In this episode of the Econ Dev Show, host Dane Carlson sits down with John Loyack of the North Carolina Community College System to unpack what “workforce development” looks like when you’re the person who gets the call the day after the ribbon cutting asking where the next 500–5,000 workers will come from—and how North Carolina answers that question through four major tools: NC Edge customized training, ApprenticeshipNC, the Bio Network (now stretching from life sciences into food/beverage and natural products), and a small business center network embedded across 58 community colleges, all while pushing for tighter collaboration so employers experience one connected system instead of disconnected silos. </p>

<p><a href="https://econdevshow.com/rate-this-podcast/" rel="nofollow">Like this show? Please leave us a review here</a> — even one sentence helps! </p>

<h2>10 Actionable Takeaways for Economic Developers</h2>

<ol>
<li>Treat workforce development as core infrastructure, not a support function.</li>
<li>Engage community colleges early, not after a project announcement.</li>
<li>Promote customized training programs aggressively to prospects and existing employers.</li>
<li>Use pre-hire assessments to reduce employer risk on major projects.</li>
<li>Encourage employers, even competitors, to collaborate on shared talent needs.</li>
<li>Leverage apprenticeship programs beyond manufacturing into healthcare, construction, and trades.</li>
<li>Think regionally, not jurisdiction by jurisdiction, when building talent pipelines.</li>
<li>Repurpose successful training models across industries where skills overlap.</li>
<li>Break down silos between workforce, small business, and economic development teams.</li>
<li>Communicate these resources constantly because most businesses do not know they exist.</li>
</ol><p>Special Guest: John Loyack.</p><p>Sponsored By:</p><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://sitehunt.io">Sitehunt</a>: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://sitehunt.io">If your property data is scattered or out of date, you're losing projects.

Sitehunt gives economic developers an AI-powered property database and instant RFI responses.

Schedule a demo today!</a></li></ul><p>Links:</p><ul><li><a title="NCEdge | NC Community Colleges - NCCCS" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/businesses/ncedge/">NCEdge | NC Community Colleges - NCCCS</a></li><li><a title="John C. Loyack | LinkedIn" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncloyack/">John C. Loyack | LinkedIn</a></li><li><a title="N.C. Community College System Reports Strong Year for Flagship NCEdge Customized Training Program" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nc-community-college-system-reports-strong-year-for-flagship-ncedge-customized-training-program-302550055.html">N.C. Community College System Reports Strong Year for Flagship NCEdge Customized Training Program</a></li><li><a title="Exclusive | Aerospace Startup JetZero to Start Building Futuristic Planes in North Carolina - WSJ" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/jetzero-north-carolina-blended-wing-aircraft-9f140b82?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqd9Y6Svffap5Ezdinzqg7tjVvy3LLy1eEUMLEa_kO6eZDzDxbMaor1XD4kkmpc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69090fee&amp;gaa_sig=07WrhUyErAD7RRgJO5XeorhMr-jx6fgJqWg2_JTNLwGv1ZNi5bt80szJ23qlTDpGRE8cn2yHK5ZgVYhvKsWxVg%3D%3D">Exclusive | Aerospace Startup JetZero to Start Building Futuristic Planes in North Carolina - WSJ</a></li><li><a title="How community colleges are fueling N.C.’s workforce, with John Loyack" rel="nofollow" href="https://charlotteledger.substack.com/p/how-community-colleges-are-fueling">How community colleges are fueling N.C.’s workforce, with John Loyack</a></li></ul>]]>
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