Overland Park Chamber of Commerce (KS) – OP Talent NOW
Challenge
Overland Park, Kansas, is a strong hub for corporate and professional services located in the southwest quadrant of the Kansas City metropolitan statistical area. The second largest city in Kansas, Overland Park offers a lower cost of living relative to the nation’s coasts; high-quality education institutions; and access to healthcare, entertainment, and economic opportunities. It also serves as a regional headquarters location for major firms such as Oracle, AT&T, and T-Mobile. However, economic disparities and broader trends, including inflation, an aging workforce, and growing skills gaps may affect Overland Park’s ability to meet employer demand for skilled talent. To address these issues and bolster the city’s competitive position, the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce (OP Chamber) launched Opportunity NOW, a five-year community and economic development initiative.
Response
As part of implementing Opportunity NOW’s first key strategy, the OP Chamber engaged TIP Strategies in late 2023 to conduct a workforce development study. TIP analyzed labor, industry, demographic, and economic conditions in Overland Park, including comparisons to nine benchmark communities to illustrate the city’s competitive position. Along with this baseline assessment, TIP provided a custom data visualization which scored more than 700 occupations on job quality and accessibility, by considering factors such as local cost of living, career advancement opportunities, and demographic similarity to the region. This quantitative analysis was paired with input from over 100 stakeholders to shape understanding of Overland Park’s labor landscape and identify the city’s 10 key employment segments. For each employment segment, TIP created a profile describing talent supply, demand, and career pathways to empower employers, educators, and workers with tailored information for the greatest impact. Finally, data analysis and stakeholder input informed the study’s three opportunity areas, with strategic recommendations to attract, anchor, and align talent in Overland Park. The OP Talent NOW study and employment segment profiles laid the groundwork for a collaborative, employer-driven approach to building a robust talent pipeline. With these tools in hand, the OP Chamber is well-positioned to meet the city’s workforce goals.