Charles Slat| Monroe News
Health care, information technology, engineering and skilled trades jobs are those in demand in southeastern Michigan now and into the future, a labor market analyst says.
But online jobs being advertised ployers often are seeking a lower skills level and Monroe County workers with higher skills often are commuting nearby counties for those jobs, explained Lisa Katz, executive director of the Southeast Michigan Workforce Intelligence Network ( WIN), a group of educators and work force development agencies from nine area counties, including Monroe County.
Ms. Katz was the keynote speaker for the annual Business & Industry Luncheon Tuesday at Monroe County Community College. photo Lisa Katz She said there’s real concern among employers that a skills gap exists, with not enough workers qualified for available jobs, and information technology and engineering firms are having some of the biggest problems filling posts.
“IT jobs are growing faster than just about any job sector or occupational cluster in southeast Michigan right now,” Ms. Katz said.
Advanced manufacturing and health-care positions also are in high demand, according to online job postings for the region, she said. Part of the reason for the skills gap is that older workers are retiring, starting their own businesses or moving elsewhere, and younger people do not have the experience employers want.
“They aren’t getting the training or experience they need for these jobs. One of the things we’re encouraging are experiential opportunities for young people. We’re simply not giving them enough right now.” MCCC is among eight community colleges involved in WIN, trying to help tailor training for employer needs.
Nonetheless, in the first three months of this year, there were 1,146 job postings from Monroe County, compared to 1,103 in the first three months of 2012, Ms. Katz said. “For the most part, what we’re seeing is that job demand is pretty much holding its own here in Monroe,” she said.
Common jobs advertised locally are supervisors for retail sales, maintenance and repair jobs, heavy tractor-trailer drivers, registered nurses and food preparation workers, labor and freight workers, childcare workers, customer service representatives, accountants, and supervisors of food preparation workers. Computer programmers, mechanical engineers and advanced manufacturing posts are typical of jobs advertised outside of the county.
“Certainly, there is a difference in the makeup of jobs posted in Monroe County compared to the rest of southeast Michigan,” Ms. Katz said. She said information technology jobs in southeast Michigan have grown at a faster rate than some of the cities elsewhere in the nation renowned as industrial technology hubs. That’s because the automotive industry has a high demand for IT professionals in advanced manufacturing.
Ms. Katz said that was reflected in Monroe County because it was among about five southeast Michigan counties where demand for IT workers went up since the recession. But she said health care is the county’s No. 1 industry for job demand. The top demand in that field is for registered nurses, followed by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speechlanguage pathologists, nursing assistants, home health aides, lab techs and physicians and surgeons.
Monroe County’s work force in the last year actually grew by nearly 1,600 people, Ms. Katz said. “But on top of that, your employment has gone up almost the same amount. It’s good news for Monroe and it’s also a little different from what we’re seeing elsewhere in southeast Michigan. You’re actually getting the ideal situation where people are entering the job market and getting jobs right here in this county and that’s good news for you.”
But she said about 30 percent of residents are working in Monroe County, 22 percent are going into Wayne County and 18 percent are going into Ohio for their jobs. “It shows that we can’t expect as we are growing jobs that our residents are actually going to work here,” she said. “We need to keep in mind a geography that’s bigger than our own back yard.” On a regional basis, demand for skilled trades workers grew 94 percent over the last five years.
“That’s really good. It’s showing the comeback of our manufacturing industry,” she said.
Read more at: http://www.monroenews.com/news/2013/may/26/jobs-available-monroe-county-not-everyone-analyst-/
Health care, information technology, engineering and skilled trades jobs are those in demand in southeastern Michigan now and into the future, a labor market analyst says. But online jobs being advertised ployers often are seeking a lower skills level and Monroe County workers with higher skills often are commuting nearby counties for those jobs, explained Lisa Katz, executive director of the Southeast Michigan Workforce Intelligence Network ( WIN), a group of educators and work force development agencies from nine area counties, including Monroe County. Ms. Katz was the keynote speaker for the annual Business & Industry Luncheon Tuesday at Monroe County Community College. photo Lisa Katz She said there’s real concern among employers that a skills gap exists, with not enough workers qualified for available jobs, and information technology and engineering firms are having some of the biggest problems filling posts. “IT jobs are growing faster than just about any job sector or occupational cluster in southeast Michigan right now,” Ms. Katz said. Advanced manufacturing and health-care positions also are in high demand, according to online job postings for the region, she said. Part of the reason for the skills gap is that older workers are retiring, starting their own businesses or moving elsewhere, and younger people do not have the experience employers want. “They aren’t getting the training or experience they need for these jobs. One of the things we’re encouraging are experiential opportunities for young people. We’re simply not giving them enough right now.” MCCC is among eight community colleges involved in WIN, trying to help tailor training for employer needs. Nonetheless, in the first three months of this year, there were 1,146 job postings from Monroe County, compared to 1,103 in the first three months of 2012, Ms. Katz said. “For the most part, what we’re seeing is that job demand is pretty much holding its own here in Monroe,” she said. Common jobs advertised locally are supervisors for retail sales, maintenance and repair jobs, heavy tractor-trailer drivers, registered nurses and food preparation workers, labor and freight workers, childcare workers, customer service representatives, accountants, and supervisors of food preparation workers. Computer programmers, mechanical engineers and advanced manufacturing posts are typical of jobs advertised outside of the county. “Certainly, there is a difference in the makeup of jobs posted in Monroe County compared to the rest of southeast Michigan,” Ms. Katz said. She said information technology jobs in southeast Michigan have grown at a faster rate than some of the cities elsewhere in the nation renowned as industrial technology hubs. That’s because the automotive industry has a high demand for IT professionals in advanced manufacturing. Ms. Katz said that was reflected in Monroe County because it was among about five southeast Michigan counties where demand for IT workers went up since the recession. But she said health care is the county’s No. 1 industry for job demand. The top demand in that field is for registered nurses, followed by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speechlanguage pathologists, nursing assistants, home health aides, lab techs and physicians and surgeons. Monroe County’s work force in the last year actually grew by nearly 1,600 people, Ms. Katz said. “But on top of that, your employment has gone up almost the same amount. It’s good news for Monroe and it’s also a little different from what we’re seeing elsewhere in southeast Michigan. You’re actually getting the ideal situation where people are entering the job market and getting jobs right here in this county and that’s good news for you.” But she said about 30 percent of residents are working in Monroe County, 22 percent are going into Wayne County and 18 percent are going into Ohio for their jobs. “It shows that we can’t expect as we are growing jobs that our residents are actually going to work here,” she said. “We need to keep in mind a geography that’s bigger than our own back yard.” On a regional basis, demand for skilled trades workers grew 94 percent over the last five years. “That’s really good. It’s showing the comeback of our manufacturing industry,” she said.
Read more at: http://www.monroenews.com/news/2013/may/26/jobs-available-monroe-county-not-everyone-analyst-/
Health care, information technology, engineering and skilled trades jobs are those in demand in southeastern Michigan now and into the future, a labor market analyst says. But online jobs being advertised ployers often are seeking a lower skills level and Monroe County workers with higher skills often are commuting nearby counties for those jobs, explained Lisa Katz, executive director of the Southeast Michigan Workforce Intelligence Network ( WIN), a group of educators and work force development agencies from nine area counties, including Monroe County. Ms. Katz was the keynote speaker for the annual Business & Industry Luncheon Tuesday at Monroe County Community College. photo Lisa Katz She said there’s real concern among employers that a skills gap exists, with not enough workers qualified for available jobs, and information technology and engineering firms are having some of the biggest problems filling posts. “IT jobs are growing faster than just about any job sector or occupational cluster in southeast Michigan right now,” Ms. Katz said. Advanced manufacturing and health-care positions also are in high demand, according to online job postings for the region, she said. Part of the reason for the skills gap is that older workers are retiring, starting their own businesses or moving elsewhere, and younger people do not have the experience employers want. “They aren’t getting the training or experience they need for these jobs. One of the things we’re encouraging are experiential opportunities for young people. We’re simply not giving them enough right now.” MCCC is among eight community colleges involved in WIN, trying to help tailor training for employer needs. Nonetheless, in the first three months of this year, there were 1,146 job postings from Monroe County, compared to 1,103 in the first three months of 2012, Ms. Katz said. “For the most part, what we’re seeing is that job demand is pretty much holding its own here in Monroe,” she said. Common jobs advertised locally are supervisors for retail sales, maintenance and repair jobs, heavy tractor-trailer drivers, registered nurses and food preparation workers, labor and freight workers, childcare workers, customer service representatives, accountants, and supervisors of food preparation workers. Computer programmers, mechanical engineers and advanced manufacturing posts are typical of jobs advertised outside of the county. “Certainly, there is a difference in the makeup of jobs posted in Monroe County compared to the rest of southeast Michigan,” Ms. Katz said. She said information technology jobs in southeast Michigan have grown at a faster rate than some of the cities elsewhere in the nation renowned as industrial technology hubs. That’s because the automotive industry has a high demand for IT professionals in advanced manufacturing. Ms. Katz said that was reflected in Monroe County because it was among about five southeast Michigan counties where demand for IT workers went up since the recession. But she said health care is the county’s No. 1 industry for job demand. The top demand in that field is for registered nurses, followed by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speechlanguage pathologists, nursing assistants, home health aides, lab techs and physicians and surgeons. Monroe County’s work force in the last year actually grew by nearly 1,600 people, Ms. Katz said. “But on top of that, your employment has gone up almost the same amount. It’s good news for Monroe and it’s also a little different from what we’re seeing elsewhere in southeast Michigan. You’re actually getting the ideal situation where people are entering the job market and getting jobs right here in this county and that’s good news for you.” But she said about 30 percent of residents are working in Monroe County, 22 percent are going into Wayne County and 18 percent are going into Ohio for their jobs. “It shows that we can’t expect as we are growing jobs that our residents are actually going to work here,” she said. “We need to keep in mind a geography that’s bigger than our own back yard.” On a regional basis, demand for skilled trades workers grew 94 percent over the last five years. “That’s really good. It’s showing the comeback of our manufacturing industry,” she said.
Read more at: http://www.monroenews.com/news/2013/may/26/jobs-available-monroe-county-not-everyone-analyst-/
Health care, information technology, engineering and skilled trades jobs are those in demand in southeastern Michigan now and into the future, a labor market analyst says. But online jobs being advertised ployers often are seeking a lower skills level and Monroe County workers with higher skills often are commuting nearby counties for those jobs, explained Lisa Katz, executive director of the Southeast Michigan Workforce Intelligence Network ( WIN), a group of educators and work force development agencies from nine area counties, including Monroe County. Ms. Katz was the keynote speaker for the annual Business & Industry Luncheon Tuesday at Monroe County Community College. photo Lisa Katz She said there’s real concern among employers that a skills gap exists, with not enough workers qualified for available jobs, and information technology and engineering firms are having some of the biggest problems filling posts. “IT jobs are growing faster than just about any job sector or occupational cluster in southeast Michigan right now,” Ms. Katz said. Advanced manufacturing and health-care positions also are in high demand, according to online job postings for the region, she said. Part of the reason for the skills gap is that older workers are retiring, starting their own businesses or moving elsewhere, and younger people do not have the experience employers want. “They aren’t getting the training or experience they need for these jobs. One of the things we’re encouraging are experiential opportunities for young people. We’re simply not giving them enough right now.” MCCC is among eight community colleges involved in WIN, trying to help tailor training for employer needs. Nonetheless, in the first three months of this year, there were 1,146 job postings from Monroe County, compared to 1,103 in the first three months of 2012, Ms. Katz said. “For the most part, what we’re seeing is that job demand is pretty much holding its own here in Monroe,” she said. Common jobs advertised locally are supervisors for retail sales, maintenance and repair jobs, heavy tractor-trailer drivers, registered nurses and food preparation workers, labor and freight workers, childcare workers, customer service representatives, accountants, and supervisors of food preparation workers. Computer programmers, mechanical engineers and advanced manufacturing posts are typical of jobs advertised outside of the county. “Certainly, there is a difference in the makeup of jobs posted in Monroe County compared to the rest of southeast Michigan,” Ms. Katz said. She said information technology jobs in southeast Michigan have grown at a faster rate than some of the cities elsewhere in the nation renowned as industrial technology hubs. That’s because the automotive industry has a high demand for IT professionals in advanced manufacturing. Ms. Katz said that was reflected in Monroe County because it was among about five southeast Michigan counties where demand for IT workers went up since the recession. But she said health care is the county’s No. 1 industry for job demand. The top demand in that field is for registered nurses, followed by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speechlanguage pathologists, nursing assistants, home health aides, lab techs and physicians and surgeons. Monroe County’s work force in the last year actually grew by nearly 1,600 people, Ms. Katz said. “But on top of that, your employment has gone up almost the same amount. It’s good news for Monroe and it’s also a little different from what we’re seeing elsewhere in southeast Michigan. You’re actually getting the ideal situation where people are entering the job market and getting jobs right here in this county and that’s good news for you.” But she said about 30 percent of residents are working in Monroe County, 22 percent are going into Wayne County and 18 percent are going into Ohio for their jobs. “It shows that we can’t expect as we are growing jobs that our residents are actually going to work here,” she said. “We need to keep in mind a geography that’s bigger than our own back yard.” On a regional basis, demand for skilled trades workers grew 94 percent over the last five years. “That’s really good. It’s showing the comeback of our manufacturing industry,” she said.
Read more at: http://www.monroenews.com/news/2013/may/26/jobs-available-monroe-county-not-everyone-analyst-/
Health care, information technology, engineering and skilled trades jobs are those in demand in southeastern Michigan now and into the future, a labor market analyst says. But online jobs being advertised ployers often are seeking a lower skills level and Monroe County workers with higher skills often are commuting nearby counties for those jobs, explained Lisa Katz, executive director of the Southeast Michigan Workforce Intelligence Network ( WIN), a group of educators and work force development agencies from nine area counties, including Monroe County. Ms. Katz was the keynote speaker for the annual Business & Industry Luncheon Tuesday at Monroe County Community College. photo Lisa Katz She said there’s real concern among employers that a skills gap exists, with not enough workers qualified for available jobs, and information technology and engineering firms are having some of the biggest problems filling posts. “IT jobs are growing faster than just about any job sector or occupational cluster in southeast Michigan right now,” Ms. Katz said. Advanced manufacturing and health-care positions also are in high demand, according to online job postings for the region, she said. Part of the reason for the skills gap is that older workers are retiring, starting their own businesses or moving elsewhere, and younger people do not have the experience employers want. “They aren’t getting the training or experience they need for these jobs. One of the things we’re encouraging are experiential opportunities for young people. We’re simply not giving them enough right now.” MCCC is among eight community colleges involved in WIN, trying to help tailor training for employer needs. Nonetheless, in the first three months of this year, there were 1,146 job postings from Monroe County, compared to 1,103 in the first three months of 2012, Ms. Katz said. “For the most part, what we’re seeing is that job demand is pretty much holding its own here in Monroe,” she said. Common jobs advertised locally are supervisors for retail sales, maintenance and repair jobs, heavy tractor-trailer drivers, registered nurses and food preparation workers, labor and freight workers, childcare workers, customer service representatives, accountants, and supervisors of food preparation workers. Computer programmers, mechanical engineers and advanced manufacturing posts are typical of jobs advertised outside of the county. “Certainly, there is a difference in the makeup of jobs posted in Monroe County compared to the rest of southeast Michigan,” Ms. Katz said. She said information technology jobs in southeast Michigan have grown at a faster rate than some of the cities elsewhere in the nation renowned as industrial technology hubs. That’s because the automotive industry has a high demand for IT professionals in advanced manufacturing. Ms. Katz said that was reflected in Monroe County because it was among about five southeast Michigan counties where demand for IT workers went up since the recession. But she said health care is the county’s No. 1 industry for job demand. The top demand in that field is for registered nurses, followed by physical therapists, occupational therapists, speechlanguage pathologists, nursing assistants, home health aides, lab techs and physicians and surgeons. Monroe County’s work force in the last year actually grew by nearly 1,600 people, Ms. Katz said. “But on top of that, your employment has gone up almost the same amount. It’s good news for Monroe and it’s also a little different from what we’re seeing elsewhere in southeast Michigan. You’re actually getting the ideal situation where people are entering the job market and getting jobs right here in this county and that’s good news for you.” But she said about 30 percent of residents are working in Monroe County, 22 percent are going into Wayne County and 18 percent are going into Ohio for their jobs. “It shows that we can’t expect as we are growing jobs that our residents are actually going to work here,” she said. “We need to keep in mind a geography that’s bigger than our own back yard.” On a regional basis, demand for skilled trades workers grew 94 percent over the last five years. “That’s really good. It’s showing the comeback of our manufacturing industry,” she said.
Read more at: http://www.monroenews.com/news/2013/may/26/jobs-available-monroe-county-not-everyone-analyst-/