|Rob Gamble|
Rob Gamble, Workforce Development Consultant
Rob is a nationally recognized expert in workforce development. In addition to launching some of the nation's most innovative and effective programs, he has co-authored Doing Business on the Gulf Coast, Simply Doing Business and Designed for Business, which are reviews of exemplary Workforce Investment Board business service models for the U.S. Department of Labor National Business Learning Partnership. The Creative Energy Team has developed a strategic alliance with Rob's firm, the Innovation Foundry, to leverage his expertise and knowledge of workforce development programs nationwide.
Rob started his workforce development career at the NOVA Private Industry Council in Silicon Valley. While at NOVA, Rob managed the Business Services and Rapid Response units for the NOVA Workforce Investment Board. He led the partnership with Sun Microsystems and several community colleges to establish STEP (Systems Administration Training and Employment Program), a Unix-based technical training certificate designed to bring high-tech career opportunities to under-utilized populations. This program generated more than $1.5 million in state, federal, and corporate funding to build and staff learning labs and resulted in successfully training more than 500 individuals. He also successfully developed and managed Employment and Training Panel (ETP) projects throughout Silicon Valley, connecting businesses with more than $10 million in funds to train their workforces. He also developed and managed LMI+, an innovative quarterly labor market publication that received national recognition for substantially improving information exchange between business leaders, educators, and the workforce.
After NOVA, Rob joined the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board and established the joint venture that developed the Bay Area Biotechnology Career Ladder Project. This project received more than $3 million in funding and won the U.S. Department of Labor 2005 Recognition of Excellence award, along with awards from the National Workforce Investment Board and National Association of Counties. Rob next became the Executive Director of the BayBio Institute, a non-profit organization, supporting K-12 math and science education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship for Northern California's Life Science industry.
Rob then founded the Innovation Foundry, a management consultancy assisting communities in building stronger economies through more effective utilization of their education and workforce development assets. With his 20 years of experience in the workforce development field, Rob is able to help build successful collaborations between business, education, and government.
While at the NOVA Private Industry Council, Rob contracted with Regan & Associates to conduct several labor market studies that helped NOVA win national awards. Rob is excited to be partnering with Maureen again to develop innovative workforce development solutions to the challenges facing our dynamic economy.