Recap: Fort Smith SkillStream Employer Forum
Left to Right: April Ambrose, Director of Workforce Development, Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation; Alison Mathieu, SHRM-SCP, Global HRBP, ABB NEMA Motors; Andrew Welch, Director of Operations, Rheem Manufacturing Company
On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation and the City of Fort Smith hosted SkillStream Employer Forum to share insights and resources regarding workforce development in the energy sector. The free forum is an important component of AAEF’s SkillStream program, a local, employer-driven initiative to build a skilled workforce for Arkansas’s fast-growing energy industry.
Almost 40 attendees received valuable information from local and state workforce experts, including:
Jarred Rego, Vice Mayor, City of Fort Smith;
Lauren Waldrip, Executive Director, Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation;
Joshua Robertson, Director of Citizen and City Services, City of Fort Smith;
April Ambrose, Director of Workforce Development, Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation;
Cody Waits, Director of Arkansas Workforce Connections, Arkansas Department of Commerce;
Joel Gordon, Manager of Client Services, CI & Technology, Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions;
Tammy Predmore, Director of Workforce Development, Western Arkansas Planning & Development District;
Ashley French, Apprenticely;
Andrew Welch, Director of Operations, Rheem Manufacturing Company, and
Alison Mathieu, SHRM-SCP, Global HRBP, ABB NEMA Motors
“Initiatives like SkillStream help ensure trade programs are built to meet employer demand here in the Fort Smith metropolitan area so local residents can seize these opportunities.”
– Jarred Rego, Vice-Mayor, City of Fort Smith
Employers in the Fort Smith area are encouraged to share their insights with AAEF by taking the Fort Smith Workforce Needs Assessment by October 3. Responses will help direct funding for workforce development to address employers’ most pressing needs.
The forum is made possible through a grant managed by Metroplan and serving the metro areas of Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith, and Central Arkansas. The first employer forum was held in Central Arkansas in summer 2025.
More information about the forums, SkillStream, and AAEF is available on the AAEF website. Questions may be directed to April Ambrose: workforce@arkansasadvancedenergy.com.