S2 Ep 12: Building Alabama’s Workforce Future with Secretary Greg Reed

In this episode of TalentWise, we sit down with Greg Reed, Alabama’s first secretary of the Department of Workforce, to explore the future of workforce transformation and what it means for employers, educators and job seekers across the state. Drawing on his extensive experience as a former majority leader of the Alabama Senate and now as Gov. Kay Ivey’s senior advisor on workforce transformation, Secretary Reed shares his perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping today’s workforce landscape. From aligning education and industry needs to building stronger talent pipelines and preparing Alabama for long-term economic growth, this episode provides a unique look at the vision and leadership helping shape Alabama’s workforce for generations to come.

Insight: Workforce is not a side conversation in economic development. It is the foundation.

States and regions often focus heavily on recruiting industry, securing investment, and building the conditions for economic growth.

Those things matter. But they only go so far if the workforce is not prepared to meet the demand that follows.

As Secretary Greg Reed shared on TalentWise, “If you don’t have somebody to turn the wrench, all that doesn’t matter.”

That line captures a core truth about workforce development. Incentives, facilities, and new business announcements may create momentum, but workforce is what turns that momentum into lasting economic value.

This is especially true in fast-growing sectors where the need for talent is changing quickly. Healthcare, advanced manufacturing, defense, shipbuilding, and technical trades all require more than awareness. They require aligned systems, responsive education pathways, and real collaboration between government, employers, and training providers.

That is why workforce cannot be treated as an add-on to economic development strategy. It is the linchpin. It is what determines whether opportunity can actually be delivered at scale.

The strongest workforce systems do more than react to shortages. They build the talent pipeline, support wraparound needs, and keep pace with the jobs of the future rather than the jobs of the past.

This insight comes from our conversation with Secretary Greg Reed on Season 2 of TalentWise, where he discusses Alabama’s workforce transformation and what it takes to build a labor force ready for long-term growth.