Southcoast Leader: More Big Business, More Big Jobs for Region

More big business could be on the horizon for the Southcoast.

Rob Mellion, President of the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce, says the Amazon distribution center under construction in Fall River is probably just the beginning of large businesses locating to the area.

Speaking on "The Barry Richard Show," Mellion says renewed freight rail and more access to waterways in Fall River and New Bedford have attracted industry leaders. "These are elements, or factors, that have been attractive to businesses like Amazon. And at the same time, too, sometimes it's proximity," says Mellion. Mellion says the planned Southcoast Marketplace at the site of the New Harbour Nall is taking advantage of a proposal in Tiverton, Rhode Island, that would bring a casino to the town.

Mellion says the Southcoast workforce needs to be more in tune with what tomorrow's jobs will be in order to make a seamless transition. According to Mellion, only 18% of the region's population has a college education or higher. He says there needs to be more cooperation between industry and education in order to meet job demands.