The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced registration is open and the agenda is now available for the 2026 Governor’s Workforce Summit, set for Sept. 23 at the Bismarck State College National Energy Center of Excellence.
The summit will bring together policymakers, employers, educators, workforce professionals and community leaders to explore solutions for strengthening North Dakota’s workforce and positioning the state for long-term economic growth.
“Building the workforce North Dakota needs for the future requires us to think differently about how we develop talent, connect people with opportunity and respond to the needs of employers,” said Gov. Kelly Armstrong. “This summit brings the right people together to turn ideas into action and build a workforce system that keeps North Dakota competitive.”
A highlight of the summit will be a fireside chat with Gov. Armstrong focused on his vision for a future-ready workforce, including opportunities to modernize services, strengthen industry partnerships and support long-term economic growth.
The newly released agenda also features national and state perspectives on workforce trends, effective state workforce systems, North Dakota’s changing workforce landscape, emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.
“The workforce challenges facing North Dakota are complex, and no single organization or sector can solve them alone,” said Commerce Deputy Commissioner and Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howe. “The Governor’s Workforce Summit gives us an opportunity to bring leaders together, learn what’s working and build stronger connections around solutions that can move North Dakota’s workforce forward.”
The summit will conclude with the public announcement of the Workforce Development Council’s recommendations for the next biennium and beyond. The recommendations will help advance a coordinated statewide workforce strategy and mark an important milestone ahead of the 2027 Legislative Session.
Agenda highlights include:
- 9:15 a.m. – Shaping Tomorrow: Governor Armstrong on Building a Future-Ready Workforce
- 10:05 a.m. – Shifts in National Workforce Trends & Governance Models
- 10:45 a.m. – State Workforce Systems That Work
- 11:30 a.m. – North Dakota’s Workforce Landscape
- 1:15 p.m. – The Workforce Ecosystem in Action: Subcabinet Updates
- 1:45 p.m. – Innovation Spotlight: Workforce Solutions Shaping Tomorrow
- 2:30 p.m. – AI at the State Level: What It Means for Our Workforce
- 3:15 p.m. – Announcement of Workforce Development Council Recommendations
The Summit begins at 9 a.m. Sept. 23 in the Bavendick Room of the National Energy Center of Excellence, 1500 Edwards Ave., Bismarck. Registration closes at 5 p.m. CDT Sept. 18.
View the full agenda and register at https://ndgov.link/GovWorkforceSummit26.