Economic Development Week in Connecticut

Connecticut Economic Development Week

East Hartford, CT - This week, Connecticut is celebrating Economic Development Week!

The Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS), and AdvanceCT have partnered with Governor Ned Lamont to officially recognize May 10-14, 2021 as Economic Development Week in Connecticut. Connecticut joins with the International Economic Development Council and its members in celebrating the week to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development, and improve quality of life for communities everywhere. 

In recognition of this professional week, the Economic Development Department has partnered with the East Hartford Public Library on a series of business webinars to help local business owners. Small Business 101: How to Start, Grow, and Thrive is a series of webinars hosted by the East Hartford Public Library on Tuesday, May 18th and Tuesday, May 25th, both at noon. The sessions will feature information for anyone who is thinking of starting a business or has started one and would like to learn more about how to be successful.  Please click here for more information.

A number of educational opportunities are available for anyone interested in learning more about economic development in Connecticut.  They include:

  • Vacant Properties Strategies:  Turning the Lights Back On, a webinar hosted by Don Poland of East Hartford's Goman + York, about why properties are vacant and tools to put them back in use.  It will be available to watch after its recording on Tuesday, May 11th. Click here to watch.
  • How to Thrive in a Pandemic:  Profiles of Business Success, an online panel hosted by HEDCO Inc. of business owners who have been beating the odds to find success during the COVID-19 pandemic.  It will take place on Wednesday, May 12th at 10 AM.  Click here to register.
  • Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, a webinar presentation on a successful initiative that has helped over 1,400 clients into manufacturing careers, including jobs being created at Electric Boat.  It will take place on Thursday, May 13th at 10 AM.  Click here to register.
  • How Startups Succeed in Connecticut, an online panel of Connecticut entrepreneurs on why they have been successful launching businesses in Connecticut and the resources they used to help them.  It will take place on Friday, May 14th at 10 AM.  Click here to register.

Governor Lamont will kick the week off on Monday at the Swift Factory, a recently redeveloped property in Hartford, with a press conference about urban investment. Please click here for the full schedule of events.