CLAYTON, Mo. – The Clayton hotel ballroom had the look of a typical corporate conference Wednesday. But organizers say the unique subject matter could be key to the future of the region’s economy.
Wednesday marked the return of Growing Global, an annual luncheon event that highlights the importance of attracting and retaining international talent to fuel the St. Louis region’s economic growth.
“We decided to highlight and focus on how and why St Louis attracts talent from around the globe,” said Tim Nowak, Executive Director of World Trade Center St. Louis.
Nowak says tapping into the pool of international students at local universities is one way to grow and keep global talent in our town.
“Those students who are studying here in a STEM field, they have the opportunity to remain in the country and work for three years after they graduate,” said Nowak. “We need talent, particularly in these fields, so we’re going to highlight, ‘Hey, there are companies here right now that have openings, that have needs.'”
“Everybody that I talk to, every company that I talk to, is having a real tough time trying to find talent,” said Jon Baselice, Vice President of Immigration Policy for the US Chamber of Commerce.
He says investing in an international workforce can be the solution many companies are looking for.
“It helps companies find who have different perspectives, different ideas. It helps them solve problems, and it also helps them meet their workforce needs by having more folks to choose from in terms of getting the talent that they need.” Added Baselice.
New US Census data shows there’s more foreign-born talent in the St. Louis region than ever before. More than 30,000 foreign-born residents came to the metro area from 2022 through 2023, the highest percentage increase of the 30 largest US metropolitan areas. Betsy Cohen, executive director of St. Louis Mosaic Project.
“A lot of the companies and the employers don’t understand how easy it is. And if most of these people already work authorized and can start work immediately, there’s a perception that they might need to sponsor them for a Visa. And the answer is that’s not true. They’re authorized are ready to work. They just need to connect with us and that workforce,” said Betsy Cohen, Executive Director of St. Louis Mosaic Project.
And if attendance for this year’s Growing Global is any indication, it appears businesses in the St. Louis regional will continue to do just that.
