Economic development in one of the most prosperous counties in all of America still seems to be accelerating, but leaders met last week to urge Chester County businesses, educators and politicians to switch gears in order to keep the economic engine chugging at such a pace.

With eyes on the road ahead, the Chester County Commissioners warned of sharp curves coming.

“Yes, we have experienced success in building a strong, diversified economy in the past few decades in large part due to our workforce development practices,” Commissioner Michelle Kichline said in the Daily Local News’ coverage of the VISTA 2025 summit. “Despite our strong record of economic success, there are many ‘disruptors,’ as we’ve labeled them, that are on the horizon. … Baby Boomers are phasing out of the workplace, and the next generation of workers has already indicated that they are seeking new living and working environments.”

The “Attracting Talent and Growing the Employer-Ready Workforce in Chester County” event at Penn State Great Valley focused more on staying ahead of those curves than reacting to the wake of new trends.

“About 10,000 Baby Boomers a day are retiring,” said Karen Flynn, West Pharmaceutical Services’ president of pharmaceutical packaging systems, in the article, totaling 78 million nationwide by 2025 or 2030. “That’s an amazing statistic when you think about it. The gap that’s going to be created when that happens …”

Technology is also changing the game for local employers, and the expected influx of younger workers means old ways of attracting new development need to be rethought. Beyond subsidized land and utility costs, new businesses will increasingly ask, “Does this place have the talent or is it a place that can attract talent,” keynote speaker and author Mark Lautman said. “Now, HR people are the ones to drive where they locate.”

That perspective bodes well for Chester County, and its leaders hope to take advantage of it.

“We are the wealthiest in the state and one of the wealthiest counties in the nation,” county board Chairman Terence Farrell said in the report. “Our residents are the best-educated in Pennsylvania with the highest percentage of high school graduates at 93 percent … and the highest number of college graduates at nearly 50 percent.” The county also ranks No. 3 in the nation for school listings and boasts five of America’s top high schools, Commissioner Kathi Cozzone added.

“Chester County has done well in the last 15 or 20 years,” Chester County Economic Development Council Consultant David M. Sciocchetti commented. However, “past performance is no guarantee of future success.”

Read much more about the VISTA 2025 summit and the coming workforce changes in the Daily Local News here.