Evaluating forest-based economic development training needs in Virginia

The economic development community in Virginia was assessed for their forest-based training needs. It was felt that this group may not be aware of the importance of the forest products industry to Virginia and that by identifying their training needs, educational programs could be developed to assist their activities. A survey was mailed to 450 individuals involved in economic development throughout Virginia. Over 60 percent of respondents indicated that business recruitment was their primary responsibility. Fifty-eight percent responded that the forest products industry was not a targeted area for them. The most important training areas for economic developers included value-added manufacturing, local forest resource information, local production characteristics, and the availability of financial resources for forest-based development. When asked the best way to present information to economic developers, respondents stated personal visits, conferences, regional/local workshops, and classroom instruction were the best methods. The results of this study will lead to targeted extension programming to the economic development community in Virginia.