business retention & expansion

The Birmingham Business Alliance’s Business Retention and Expansion program is for regional companies ranging from startups to the largest employers based on target clusters defined by our strategic plan. Through hundreds of onsite, one-on-one visits, the Birmingham Business Alliance economic development staff works with companies to provide information on growth opportunities and understand issues that may hinder growth for a company, while using the data to spot larger trends in the overall local economy. 

The goal of the visits is to identify expansion opportunities and potential threats while developing a strong working relationship with the existing business base, assisting them with information, resources and relationships to grow their business. 

The Business Retention and Expansion program is one component of the overall economic development strategy of the Alliance in its effort to create jobs, capital investment and better quality of life throughout the Birmingham seven-county region.

Workforce Resources

• Alabama Works
  AlabamaWorks is a network of interconnected providers of workforce services, including all-of the governmental, educational and private sector components that train, prepare and match job seekers with employers.
  

• Alabama Workforce Training Center (AWTC)
  The Alabama Workforce Training Center is based in Birmingham, Alabama and focuses on the training needs of existing and new employers in the manufacturing and construction trade skills. The AWTC is operated by AIDT in partnership with several entities including the Birmingham Business Alliance, private manufacturing and construction companies, Alabama Works, community colleges, The Alabama Technology Network, the State Department of Education and the Central Six Workforce Development Council.
  

• Alabama Workforce Council
  The Alabama Workforce Council (AWC) is comprised of business executives from some of the most important industries and organizations in the state of Alabama. The Council’s goal is to facilitate collaboration between government and industry to help Alabama develop a sustainable, top-notch workforce that is competitive on a global scale. Since its inception, the Council has been committed to analyzing important-issues related to workforce development and making sound recommendations that will help to create more and better opportunities for all Alabamians.
  

• Central Six AlabamaWorks!
  The Central Six AlabamaWorks! is the Regional workforce council that falls under the State’s Alabama Workforce Council. The Council’s goal is to facilitate collaboration between education, government and industry to assist employers in the Birmingham region to develop a sustainable workforce pipeline for the 21st century.
  

• OnBoard Birmingham
  The Birmingham Business Alliance launched in 2014 OnBoard Birmingham, a program to help regional employers recruit and retain professionals in their companies and in Birmingham. The program is part of the BBA’s Talent Recruitment Project, which is an ongoing workforce development effort to help attract and retain talent in the Birmingham region. OnBoard Birmingham provides first-year and early career professionals the opportunity to make a meaningful connection with the Birmingham community.
  

• Talent Recruitment Project
  Several times a year, the Birmingham Business Alliance invites more than 100 students from colleges and universities from around the state to join its “Talent Recruitment Project,” a workforce development initiative designed to give college juniors and seniors the opportunity to meet with major corporations for prospective internships and jobs in Birmingham. The opportunity provides a leg up on their post-college careers, hopefully, in Birmingham. Top students, who met established criteria set by each company and vetted by the career service department of each school, meet with some of Birmingham’s premier companies looking to hire talent. Following small group meetings with companies, students are treated to any number of hot-spot attractions in Birmingham.

Industry Productivity and R&D Resource Partners

• Alabama Technology Network (ATN)
  The Alabama Technology Network is a part of the Alabama Community College System and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. ATN's team of experts help solve the needs of industry and business through innovative, sustainable, cost-effective solutions. We can conduct detailed needs assessments, outline potential solutions based on the results and then provide technical assistance to help you solve those problems or identify those who can.
  

• Alabama Productivity Center
  The mission of the Alabama Productivity Center is to focus research and educational resources on the enhancement of productivity and quality within Alabama businesses and the state's industry. APC became home to Region 3 of the Alabama Technology Network (ATN), the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the state of Alabama.
  

• Alabama Small Business Development Network Center
  The Alabama Small Business Development Center network is a statewide, inter-institutional program to enhance economic growth in Alabama by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses. Professional Business Advisors are available in 10 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) located at our member university partners across the state.
  

• UAB Materials Processing and Applications Development Center
  The UAB Materials Processing & Applications Development (MPAD) Center serves the automotive, transportation, defense, infrastructure and energy industries for advanced engineered plastics and composites design, analysis, processing, manufacture and product development.
  

• Alabama Power Technical Application CenterAlabama Power’s Technology Applications Center (TAC) is a complimentary consulting service for industrial and large commercial customers. The TAC facility serves as a demonstration and test facility the investigates ways to reduce production cost, improve energy efficiency and productivity while positively impacting companies’ bottom-line.