What is WIRED?

WIRED is an acronym for the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development Initiative, a program launched in 13 regions across the country by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2006. WIRED seeks to transform economies by enlisting the efforts of regional leaders to research and execute long-term strategic plans that build their areas’ talent bases and prepare them for the high-skill, high-wage opportunities of the 21st century global economy.

WIRED is helping to provide a fiber optic network linking New York City’s financial services district to Wall Street West operations here in Monroe County, the heart of the Pocono region, and throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. The goal is to provide uninterrupted synchronous operations in the event of a disaster or major power outage.

Plans announced in June 2007 revealed that Level3 Communications, Inc. was chosen to build a fiber optic network connecting lower Manhattan with northeastern Pennsylvania. The Level3 Communications-built optical network will enable redundant, instantaneous data transmission between the two areas, further establishing the northeastern Pennsylvania region as a premier back-up operations location for Wall Street firms.

The Department of Labor has in depth information about the Wired Initiative available online.