b'OPPORTUNITY LIVES HEREWorkforce Opportunities in High Growth SectorsAdvancing TechnologyThe future cities that thrive will be those that link support of fast-growing sectors with accessible career on-ramps to ensure equitable participation in the employment opportunities represented by those sectors.Recommendation 2.1: Expand Opportunities in FintechAction: Leverage the strength of the existing financial services sector to expand opportunities in fintech. Rationale: Fintech is a ballooning industry, driven by technological disruptions in financial services. Fintech refers to financial companies and startups that use artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies in their day-to-day processes. Consumers are increasingly turning to digital platforms to manage their finances, a trend thats been accelerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to brick-and-mortar financial management services was limited. Impact: The State of Delaware is a long-term leader in the financial services industry. As the industry continues to evolve, financial services are creating innovative solutions to meet the needs of customers and support back-office operations. Delaware is a logical choice to develop the fintech industry and capitalize on the projected growth for this industry.Components Timeline1.Offer business incentives that are specific to fintech to encourage job creation.2.Explore a public/private partnership to secure broadband/fiber optic network needed in opportunity sites. 3.Focus on strategic tenanting to create a robust ecosystem that provides mutual supports and collaborative opportunities.4.Declare a sector of the District as a fintech zone to encourage companies to locate or relocate to the District.5.Proactively build the pipeline of future fintech workers:a.Work with existing workforce development programs in the District to ensure they are able to support the development of both hard and soft skills applicable to fintech jobs.b.Work with university partners to develop or expand certificates that support fintech jobs.Delaware Three Rivers Area Economic Development Master Plan 126'