Northeast Texas
Assessment of Rural Entrepreneurship
The Challenge
The Northeast Texas region and the neighboring counties in Southwest Arkansas are facing significant job losses associated with the realignment of Red River Army Depot and Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant. In addition, the region has experienced recent layoffs in the manufacturing and retail sectors. In response, the region is seeking to strengthen its entrepreneurship initiative in an effort to bolster economic growth and job creation.
Past studies in the region have found an entrepreneurship initiative to have much promise. The 2005 report North East Texas: Building on Strengths and Working Together on Challenges found that entrepreneurship plays a significant role in the regional economy in terms of employment and income. Furthermore, the 2006 Texarkana Regional Community Plan revealed that 30 percent to 40 percent of workers to be affected by the base realignments were interested in starting their own businesses.
The Approach
Workforce Solutions Northeast Texas hired TIP to conduct an entrepreneurship assessment of the region and devise a set of strategies to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurship initiative. As part of this assessment, TIP mapped the entrepreneurial assets of the region, identified any gaps in service, and made recommendations on how to better promote entrepreneurship in the region.
The Outcome
TIP designed an entrepreneur development system to meld together the various entrepreneur assistance programs that the region already had in place. In addition, we made recommendations on creating and augmenting services to provide a more comprehensive support network for the region’s entrepreneurs. Finally, TIP assisted Workforce Solutions in developing an organizational structure to effectively implement and manage the resulting strategic plan.
Just weeks after the roll-out of the plan, Workforce Solutions took steps towards implementing the plan. They have requested funding to design an entrepreneurs’ portal and for a full-time position to manage the plan implementation.
Kay O’Dell Executive Director, Workforce Solutions 911 N. Bishop building A, Suite 100 Wake Village, TX 75501 (903) 794-9490 ext 104 kay.odell@twc.state.tx.us
