How does the Fed engage in economic development across the country? Will Lambe of the Atlanta Fed and Daniel Davis of the St. Louis Fed discuss various Bank initiatives in the Economic Development podcast.

Close collaboration in the workforce development field is the current trend, creating a more accessible system for businesses and job seekers alike. The Atlanta Fed's Stuart Andreason and Dee Baird of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance discuss research findings on how the various players collaborate in the Economic Development podcast.

New research points to soft skills as an important indicator for success in the workplace. Jonathan Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Credly, and Laura Lippman, senior fellow at Child Trends, discuss digital badging as a way to document these currently amorphous workplace skills in this Economic Development podcast episode.

High school graduation rates can have a broad effect on an area's economic vitality. How can communities implement programs to help students graduate while also providing work skills? Mike Beatty, of Great Promise Partnership, and Mike Wiggins, formerly of Southwire Company, discuss an exemplary model in an Economic Development podcast episode.

How can sector-based workforce development strategies address the needs of both employers and job seekers? Maureen Conway of the Aspen Institute and Fred Dedrick of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions discuss a recent book on the topic in an Economic Development podcast episode.

How can local economic development strategies evolve to address demographic changes, technological innovation, and increasing global competitiveness? Dan Gundersen, a former senior commerce official, and Rick Weddle, president of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, discuss the topic in an Economic Development podcast episode.

One outcome of the recent recession is that rural poverty rates are the highest since the mid-1980s. Mil Duncan, founding director of the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute, discusses the issues facing the rural poor in an Economic Development podcast episode.

One outcome of the recent recession is that rural poverty rates are the highest since the mid-1980s. Mil Duncan, founding director of the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute, discusses the issues facing the rural poor in an Economic Development podcast episode.

Microbusinesses are a proven job-creation vehicle and promote economic growth. An Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) report suggests their size and impact has implications for local economic development. Kim Alleyne, at AEO, provides highlights from the report in this Economic Development podcast episode.

The Working Cities Challenge seeks to spur collaborative leadership in Massachusetts's smaller cities and help improve low-income residents' quality of life. Prabal Chakrabarti, at the Boston Fed, and Jessica Andors, at Lawrence Community Works, discuss the initiative in an Economic Development podcast episode.