Immigrant households in Northern Kentucky earned nearly $430 million and paid more than $116 million in taxes in 2017.
That’s according to research by New American Economy (NAE) in partnership with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Duke Energy and Gateway Community and Technical College.
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The research will be released Monday, June 17 during an event at the Kenton County Public Library Erlanger Branch (401 Kenton Lands Rd, Erlanger, KY 41018) from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Rich André, Deputy Director of State and Local Initiatives at NAE, will lead the discussion.
GROW NKY, Growing Regional Outcomes through Workforce Solutions is a comprehensive, holistic approach by the region’s key workforce partners who are committed to driving outcomes for talent pipeline management.
The mission of GROW NKY is to leverage the community’s full complement of assets to grow, attract, and retain a globally competitive workforce.
“There is an economic imperative which drives the NKY Chamber’s interest in promoting and supporting immigrant integration,” said Leisa Mulcahy, Managing Director of GROW NKY and Vice President of Workforce at NKY Chamber. “Data indicates that immigrants represent a rich potential pool for workforce talent. Our economic growth has outpaced our growth in population. We simply do not have enough people to fill the nearly 6,000 jobs that are projected by 2022 in Northern Kentucky.”
For Hans Philippo, owner of Holland Roofing, and restaurants Lisse and House of Orange, the data reaffirms his experience as an immigrant from Holland.
“The American people accept people so easily and give them a big chance,” he says. “And they’re fine with people succeeding, and it’s awesome. So all I want to say is thank you.”
The research conducted by NAE was part of the Gateways for Growth award the NKY Chamber received earlier this year through the GROW NKY initiative.
The grant provided for a data report on existing immigrant populations as an important first step in determining the impact the immigrant population has on the local economy as well as the workforce. Research findings will be used to develop a multi-sector community plan around immigrant integration specifically in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties.
“As we see the Northern Kentucky region continue to grow, the need for workers in industries like STEM and manufacturing will continue to increase,” said Rich André, Deputy Director of State and Local Initiatives at New American Economy. “By welcoming foreign-born residents with a unique range of skills, the region is making an important investment in its future.”
Northern Kentucky was one of only 14 communities selected nationally for the 2019 Gateways for Growth award to receive research from NAE and technical assistance from NAE and Welcoming America to support this work.
The NKY Chamber also received a matching grant of $12,500 from Duke Energy. Grant partners included Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board, Duke Energy, Gateway Community and Technical College, and Catholic Charities of Louisville, Kentucky – Office for Refugees.
“Across the globe, businesses and communities are competing to attract and retain the best talent,” said NKU President Ashish Vaidya.
NKU’s strategic exchange partnerships with countries throughout the world help to recruit the brightest international students to our region and allow local students to get a global perspective during college. This is extremely important for Northern Kentucky’s vitality, and we look forward to working with the Chamber to build upon our regional talent efforts.”
To learn more about the NKY Chamber’s plans for utilizing the Gateways for Growth award contact Leisa Mulcahy, Managing Director of GROW NKY at (859) 578-8800 or email Lmulcahy@nkychamber.com.
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