Tyler Fairbanks

Dear Berkshire County resident,

Much has happened in the months since we published our
premier edition of the Berkshire Employment Outlook. In early
March we made public the rollout of the Berkshire Blueprint.
Additionally, there have been several announcements about new
companies being established in the Berkshires with many more
potential opportunities in our pipeline. This fact further bolsters
our assertion that there are great prospects for employment in
this region.

Some of the most exciting experiences for me have been the
number of times I’ve been contacted by folks wanting to talk to
me about living and working here in the Berkshires. They’ve
ranged from those currently employed who want to further their
careers, out-of- towners who’ve heard about the momentum we’re
gaining as well as recently or soon-to-be college graduates.
People are talking about the Berkshires!

Over the past two years, the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
and the Berkshire Economic Development Corporation have
sought a fact-based understanding of our regional economy. The
Berkshire Blueprint, (available on our website at
berkshireedc.com) confirmed what we all knew about our
declining population, but also helped us to see how initially
focusing our efforts on select clusters can offer us great
prosperity.

What we’ve determined is that we are quite a different county
today than we were ten years ago, and that’s a good thing! The
potential that exists to lead a rewarding, full life here in the
Berkshires is tremendous.

This edition again highlights the data and serves to offer a
brighter perspective than some residents are used to having.
We’ve strived to offer examples of potential employers, a resource
guide and even spent a little time on the fun side of being a
Berkshire-ite. Have a great summer!

Best,

Tyler Fairbank
President
Berkshire Economic Development Corporation