Topeka ? Despite worries that a faltering economy, increasing layoffs and shrinking budgets could cut attendance, Kansas work force developers are going ahead with a statewide summit next month in Topeka.

“We (originally) thought, this is probably not a good year to have a conference : not a good way to spend money. But you have to be ready,” said Barb Reavis, work force policy liaison for Gov. Bill Graves. She said delaying action on training issues until the economy recovers would be a mistake.

“You don’t want to wait until things are started back up and employers are having a crisis finding employees with skills,” Reavis said.

The summit will be Jan. 29-30 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka. A similar summit in October 2001 in Wichita drew about 200 participants, said Ken Bell, chairman of the board for Workforce Network of Kansas.

“We hope to pull in more of the policy-makers and more business and industry representatives,” said Bell, senior manager for employee training and development at Boeing Wichita.

The summit is sponsored by the Workforce Network of Kansas, the Kansas Board of Regents, Western Kansas Manufacturers Assn., FAST Associates and Westco Management.

One issue sure to be discussed is the federal Workforce Investment Act, which funds job training programs nationwide and is up for reauthorization before Congress, said Eddie Estes, president of Western Kansas Manufacturers Assn.

“I think the year 2003 is going to present all kinds of challenges and opportunities for those responsible for designing and implementing work force policy in Kansas,” he said.