18 Feb The 2025 Workforce Summit Recap: Working Together to Build the Future Workforce
On Friday, September 19, 2025, Charlotte Works successfully hosted the strategic, invite-only 2025 Workforce Summit, “Working Together to Build the Future Workforce” bringing together over 100 employers, training providers, civic leaders, and system partners. Held at Central Piedmont Community College’s Harris Campus, the summit served as a critical innovation forum dedicated to accelerating progress under the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council’s (CELC) Pipeline Acceleration for Talent and Hiring (PATH) initiative.
The day was designed to translate high-level discussion into tangible action around employer-aligned solutions. Following a welcome from Charlotte Works and Central Piedmont Community College, the Summit kicked off with a powerful keynote address by Dr. Laura Dawson Ullrich, Director of Economic Research at Indeed. Dr. Ullrich framed the local workforce landscape, providing crucial data on economic signals and growth opportunities impacting both job seekers and businesses across the Charlotte region.
The focus shifted to collaborative problem-solving during a facilitated discussion lunch. Attendees engaged in themed table conversations tackling the most pressing workforce challenges, including strategies for addressing high-turnover and hard-to-fill roles, the necessity of developing essential soft skills, and preparing local talent for emerging technology, such as AI.
Later, the conversation turned to the infrastructure supporting the workforce. Robert McCutcheon, President and CEO of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, provided a timely overview of the local transportation sales tax and its impact on regional workforce development and accessing employment opportunities. Following this, Charlotte Works Chief Impact Officer, Kevin Loux, presented critical insights from the Regional Talent Report Card and CLEAR PATH Data, equipping partners with performance benchmarks and actionable metrics to map regional talent needs.
By gathering the right leaders around the right challenges, the 2025 Workforce Summit successfully met its primary objectives: validating and refining existing training programs, promoting innovative problem-solving, and fostering deeper collaboration across all sectors. This focused convening has energized our collective commitment to ensuring Charlotte’s talent pipeline is resilient, future-proof, and directly aligned with the needs of the businesses that drive our community’s economy.
