Workforce development: A regenerative perspective

Scholarly research on the topic of sustainability has witnessed a dramatic increase of interest over the last several decades, resulting in diverse definitions. Recognizing a specific meaning of a sustainable workforce or sustainable workforce systems does not exist within the context of social sustainability body of literature. Through a thematic approach, this paper draws upon the various definitions of sustainability, workforce development, regenerative development, and begins to devolve a discussion, rather than an exploration of a new approach. The emerging paradigm of regenerative development serves as the link between the social aspects of sustainability and the workforce development. This chapter examines workforce development through the narrow lens of regenerative development. It provides an overview of the foundational policies and theories that drive the concept of work and employment in the United States of America. The chapter interrogates the concept of social sustainability to tease out the relevant themes that can illuminate a path toward a regenerative workforce development paradigm. The concepts of collaboration, quality, and accessibility emphasized by the Urban Institute are similar to the literature from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their work illuminates two new streams of thought: Data-driven research and sustainability, which are a major emphasis in conversations surrounding workforce development systems. GeoStabilization International (GSI) is an example of a value creation company. GSI is a geohazard mitigation firm operating on a passion to develop and install innovative solutions that protect people and infrastructures from the danger of geohazards.