Connecticut Industry Sectors and Workforce Needs
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Connecticut Industry Sectors and Workforce Report to the General Assembly In response to Public Act. No. 18-178 that establishes the Apprenticeship Connecticut Initiative: a report in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the General Statutes, that sets forth the most pressing workforce needs within the board’s region and identifies the industry sector or sectors in which Needssuch needs are the greatest. CT Department of Labor, Office of Workforce Competitiveness August 2018 To: The Honorable Joseph Aresimowicz, Speaker of the House The Honorable Matthew Ritter, House Majority Leader The Honorable Themis Klarides, House Republican Leader The Honorable Martin Looney, Senate President Pro Tempore The Honorable Bob Duff, Senate Majority Leader The Honorable Len Fasano, Senate Republican President Pro Tempore The Honorable Jason Rojas, House Co-chair – Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee The Honorable John Fonfara, Senate Co-chair – Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee The Honorable Scott Frantz, Senate Co-chair – Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee The Honorable Christopher Davis, House Ranking Member – Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee Public Act 18-178 (House Bill 5590) Sec 45(b)(2) requires the state’s Workforce Development Boards (WDBs) to submit a report to the General Assembly, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the General Statutes, that sets forth the most pressing workforce needs within the board’s region and identifies the industry sector or sectors in which such needs are the greatest. This report identifies industry sectors and respective workforce needs in each of the state’s workforce regions. This report is compiled from the Workforce Development Boards’ plans and plan modifications required by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Also included is a map identifying each of Connecticut’s workforce development regions which can be accessed at http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/wia/Map%20of%20CTs%20Workforce%20Development%20Board%20(W DB)%20Areas.pdf. Please direct any questions to Kathleen Marioni, Executive Director, CT Department of Labor, Office of Workforce Competitiveness, at (860) 263-6526 or [email protected]. Questions may also be made directly to each Workforce Development Board. Contact information for each Board is contained within the report. ___________________________________________ Kurt D. Westby, Commissioner CT Department of Labor |CT Industry Sectors and Workforce Needs | August 2018 1 North Central Workforce Development Region Capital Workforce Partners Alex Johnson, President & Chief Executive Officer One Union Place [email protected] Hartford, CT 06103 (860) 899-3470 www.capitalworkforce.org Industry Sectors and Partnerships 1. Healthcare - Metro Hartford Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (MACH) 2. Advanced Manufacturing - Advanced Manufacturing Employer Partnership (AMEP) 3. Construction/Energy - The Jobs Funnel Advisory Committee 4. Additional Occupations Occupational Needs 1. Healthcare • Healthcare remained resilient throughout the recession, and there continues to be a strong demand for Healthcare professionals. • Data indicates that Healthcare delivery is shifting from Hospitals to Offices of Physicians (including Urgent Care Centers) and Outpatient Care Centers, among others, as more individuals become employed in these industries. • Registered Nurses, Nursing Assistants, and Licensed Practical Nurses are among the top occupations within this industry. • In addition other healthcare occupations include Patient Care Technicians or Assistants (CNA with phlebotomy and EKG Techs), Medical Secretaries, Occupational Therapy Assistants & Techs, Physical Therapy Assistants & Techs, Medical Assistants, Sterile Equipment Technicians, Radiology Techs, Sonography Techs, Respiratory, and Health IT/Medical Coding. • Healthcare workers aged 55+ account for 25.7% of those employed. 2. Advanced Manufacturing • There is a strong demand for manufacturing workers (almost 800 annual production openings in the North Central Region; over 2,500 in Connecticut). • There is a strong need for replacement workers as experienced workers retire (39% of Machinists aged 55+). • There is a strong need for workers with manufacturing skills or the ability to be trained – continued focus on STEM education and training. • Manufacturers are looking both within and beyond local area for workers, (e.g., Pratt and Whitney (8,000 workers needed over next ten years) within the Region, and Electric Boat looking into other regions (14,000 workers needed over the next 10 years). • Occupations showing high demand include Machinists, Inspectors, and Assemblers. • Within advanced manufacturing industries showing demand include medical devices sector, engineered plastics and polymers. CT Department of Labor |CT Industry Sectors and Workforce Needs | August 2018 2 North Central Region (continued) 3. Construction/Energy • Demand for construction workers includes over 1,700 projected annual openings in Connecticut; Occupations showing high levels of openings include Construction Laborers, Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters. Welders, Painters, and Ironworkers. • There is a need for replacement workers and the development of a youth talent pipeline as experienced workers retire (46% of Inspectors aged 55+). • There is a need for workers with construction skills or the ability to be trained, supporting a continued focus on STEM education and training. 4. Additional Occupations • There are occupations which cross multiple sectors (Transportation and Warehousing, Financial Services, etc.) which do not fall within one of the previously identified sectors, and/or provide a launching point to a career pathway. • There is a high demand for occupations within this category, e.g., Office Clerks, Customer Service Reps., Secretaries, Computer specialists, etc., as well as high levels of employment. • With a few exceptions, the occupations provide a relatively high wage (from $17 to $36 per hour). Related Skills Needs • Education and skills gaps exist across multiple sectors and occupations. The greatest demand is in Production/Manufacturing occupations. • A significant and growing number of CT jobs require post-secondary education as an entry-level criterion. Jobs with high wages, health benefits and advancement opportunity will be out of reach for workers lacking requisite reading, math and English proficiency needed at the postsecondary level. Employer Skills Demand 1. Oral and written communications 2. Integrity 3. Microsoft Office 4. Problem Solving 5. Marketing 6. Detail Oriented 7. Team-oriented, Teamwork CT Department of Labor |CT Industry Sectors and Workforce Needs | August 2018 3 Eastern Workforce Development Region Eastern Workforce Investment Board John Beauregard, President and Chief Executive Officer 108 New Park Avenue [email protected] Franklin, CT 06254 (860) 859-4100 www.ewib.org Industry Sectors 1. Manufacturing * 2. Healthcare and Social Assistance* 3. Retail Trade 4. Accommodation and Food Services 5. Construction *Note: Both industries offer career pathway opportunities, as entry level jobs lead to higher-wage careers Occupational Needs 1. Manufacturing Welders, Machinist, Operators, Technicians, Engineers continue to be needed by the region’s many manufacturing employers including Electric Boat, their suppliers and the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Association (EAMA). Related Skills Needs 70-80% of the preparation needed for many jobs to be filled by manufacturing employers can be provided through education, training and workforce development partners. 2. Health Care There is a growing need for Physicians and Surgeons that is going unfilled in the region. The need for Medical Assistants, Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, Registered Nurses, and Mental Health Workers continues to grow. Related Skills Needs Many entry level in-demand positions (Certified Nursing Assistants, Medical Assistants, Patient Care Technicians, Pharmacy Technicians, and Community Health Workers) require a post-secondary certificate and only a high school diploma or equivalent as prerequisites. Workforce gaps are particularly evident in mental health professions which require increasing levels of degrees and licensure due to liabilities in treatment. 3. Common Related Skills Needs Basic math and reading as well as soft skills such as time management, communication, customer service and the ability to work within a multi-generational workforce is needed. CT Department of Labor |CT Industry Sectors and Workforce Needs | August 2018 4 Northwest Workforce Development Region Northwest Regional Workforce Catherine Awwad, Executive Director Investment Board [email protected] 249 Thomaston Avenue (203) 574-6971 Waterbury, CT 06702 www.nrwib.org Industry Sectors 1. Health Care and Social Assistance 2. Manufacturing 3. Construction and construction-related 4. Information Technology 5. Human Services Occupational Needs 1. Healthcare Our nation’s healthcare system faces growing challenges – the U.S. population is aging at a rapid rate, healthcare reform is expected to bring millions of more patients into the sytem, and there are anticipated shortages in numbers of trained healthcare professionals to care for these patients. Therefore, the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board (NRWIB) has developed a sector strategy method to provide effective and efficient workforce development for healthcare organizations in the Northwest CT region. Focus will likely include