SALISBURY — The Rowan Economic Development Corporation has begun working with a consulting firm on a new vision called “Forward Rowan.”

The effort aims to accelerate the EDC’s goal of increasing the prosperity of local residents, the organization said in an announcement last week. More specifically, the Forward Rowan strategy will focus on targeted economic growth, talent attraction and development, quality of life, brand identity and organizational development. In its announcement last week, the Rowan EDC described it as a “$5.5 million economic development and community strategy.”

Rowan EDC President Rod Crider elaborated on Forward Rowan’s vision in a phone interview.

“Forward Rowan is a strategy that we put together, looking forward to the next five years, based upon research observations and other efforts underway throughout the county,” Crider said. “We are trying to get a little more strategic towards approaching growth.”

Crider his agency has been having conversations with key stakeholders throughout the community about the strategic plan. And a three-week study interviewed more than 60 local business, government and community leaders in order to gain their feedback on the proposed initiative. Community leaders were asked about their impression of the economy in Rowan County and how they feel the economy is performing.

Crider said that they were also asked questions about their impression of the Rowan EDC and the EDC’s role in moving the community forward.

“The EDC is looking to engage all parts of the community in the economic growth efforts (that are) already occurring in many instances. We’re working on a more deliberate approach and working together in collaboration,” he said.

Crider mentioned the county addressing the challenge of “talent attraction and development” by assuring and seeing to having “the right number of skilled workers” and the “right number of people with the right skills” in the labor force.”

“(This has been done through) churches conducting job preparation activities, through job fairs,” he said. “The goal is to make sure we are becoming more focused in bringing all the resources in a more formal way in the past, and to make sure we are all working towards the same goals and work towards the same purposes.”

Crider said one of the ways to improve the county’s workforce is by “attracting more people to live in Rowan County.”

“There are certainly organizations that would attract talent here,” he said.

Crider said that the EDC wants “to be deliberate in trying to plan and be strategic for those plans in our community.”

“We’re looking forward to receiving the report from our consultant, and then moving forward,” Crider said.