The Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo area has seen enormous change over the last several years, and one of the driving forces behind the positive impact is an organization called Fueling Our Future (FOF). In 2018, the Greater Fargo Moorhead Development Corporation and the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce launched FOF to help businesses and public sector leaders advance initiatives that impact our region’s future.
Since the organization’s inception, FOF leadership has been busy at work. The long-term initiative prioritizes the people and prosperity of the Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo areas and is led by dozens of private and public investors, including Sanford Health, Gate City Bank, Microsoft, the cities of Fargo and West Fargo, and others. Some of FOF’s most high-profile and successful projects include career workforce academies, document-ready sites, engaging and retaining recent college graduates and Ignite FMWF, which is our region’s workforce program.
The Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo region has experienced many hardships in the last five years. It has also experienced tremendous growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics*, our labor force has grown by 20,000 individuals from 2011 through 2021. Additionally, the unemployment rate has largely stayed low at around 3%, with the exception of a more than 8% unemployment rate at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and since dipping below 2% at the end of 2021. FOF’s main points of attention to find solutions to these unemployment rates include attracting a more skilled workforce, providing more affordable housing and addressing a lack of daycare.
One of the solutions to the workforce need is Ignite FMWF, which is supported by FOF, the FMWF Chamber and other organizations across the community. It’s a comprehensive, streamlined and systematic approach to addressing our regional workforce and talent needs.
As of February 2022, Ignite FMWF has:
- 350+ business organizations on the platform
- 1,200+ video career cards showcasing “day-in-the-life” videos as students and job-seekers explore careers
- 8,300+ jobs posted
- Hundreds of active job seekers
For more information on FOF, visit www.fuelingourfuture.net.
