Portland Metro Area Focuses on Longer-Term Training While Economy Recovers

According to a forecast from Moody'sEconomy.com published on USAToday.com, the Portland metro region may start to see some appreciable job growth again by the third quarter of 2010. This is consistent with the forecast from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis.

However, 2009 is predicted to stay in the red.

This year, the Portland metro area will likely see a 4.1% drop in jobs averaged over all of the industry sectors. The financial and construction sectors will show the greatest declines at around 9.5% followed by Manufacturing, Retail, Professional/Business Services, and Wholesale Trade - all predicted to decline by around 6%.

The first two quarters of 2010 will show some weak growth with things picking up by the latter half of the year.

With recovery likely over a year away, what can we do in the meantime? We believe this is a great time to focus on longer-term training that increases the skills of our residents to make sure everyone is ready for job opportunities. The region's public workforce system, WorkSource Portland Metro, is estimated to serve nearly 130,000 adults this year. Of those, it is predicted that over a third (45,000) will read at or below the 6th grade level. It is essential that we use this time to reduce the skill gap and help people get on career paths that lead to true self sufficiency.

So while the workforce blogging community (including Bronwyn at Workforce Developments ) continues to monitor the latest trends and forecasts, we should all stay focused on skilling the workforce to be ready for the jobs - whenever they come.

Stimulus Competitive Grants: Request for Ideas

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka Stimulus) provides a total of $750 million for competitive grants - $500 million for projects that prepare workers for careers in energy efficiency and renewable energy and $250 million for projects in other high growth and emerging industry sectors with a priority on health care.

Although not much detail is known yet about these funding opportunities, we want to ensure that our region is prepared to hit the ground running once the Department of Labor releases the formal solicitation for proposals (by 6/30/09).

So, Worksystems has formed a partnership with our neighboring local workforce investment organizations - the Workforce Investment Council of Clackamas County (WICCO) and the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council (SWWDC) - and jointly issued a "Request for Ideas" to identify concepts for proposals that could be further developed. The local workforce investment boards of each agency will review all of the ideas received and identify/engage appropriate partners to guide the further development of the proposals.

We believe that this regional, bi-state approach will ensure coordination and consistency with local, state and federal priorities, ultimately making us more competitive for these resources. We hope to be overwhelmed with good ideas that will have a big impact.

Do you know of other innovative approaches to apply for these competitive grants? If so, please leave a comment and share!

Oregon faces shortage of trained middle-skill workers

Despite the loss of thousands of jobs in the past several months, middle-skill jobs - which require more than high school, but less than a four-year degree - make up the largest portion of Oregon's economy and will continue to grow in the coming decade with an estimated 340,000 openings predicted.

According to a report, Oregon's Forgotten Middle-Skill Jobs by The Workforce Alliance and the Skills2Compete-Oregon campaign, Oregon does not have enough workers being trained to this level to take advantage of the jobs. Further, many of the jobs created in Oregon as a result of the federal economic recovery legislation will fall into this category.

Middle-skill workers needed in high growth sectors

The report, counters the notion that a four-year degree is the only pathway to in-demand jobs. Many of these middle skill positions offer median earnings that exceed Oregon's overall 2006 median of $31,034.

• The Oregon Employment Department projects that jobs in the health care sector will grow nearly 26% by 2016. Many of these jobs require less than a four-year degree.
  
  
• Oregon is on the forefront of the sustainability movement and most green jobs, such as retrofitting homes and businesses for energy conservation, are middle-skill jobs.
  
  
• Despite some losses in the manufacturing sector, Oregon has a strong manufacturing base that is predicted to see a 9% growth rate by 2014 in the metals industry. Most of these 4,000 jobs will be replacements from baby boomer retirements.

On March 12, 2009, a delegation representing the Skills2Compete Oregon Campaign testified before the House Committee on Business and Labor's Subcommittee on Workforce Development. The video testimony is featured on the sidebar.

Worksystems supports the notion that every Oregonian should have access to the equivalent of at least 2 years of education or training past high school leading to a vocational credential, industry certification, or associate's degree and we will continue to support this goal in the Portland Metro Region.

Portland Metro Workforce Investment Board Plans for Stimulus Dollars

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. On Friday, March 27, 2009, we were notified that Worksystems, Inc. will receive $7,843,001 in Recovery Act resources to help promote the region's economic recovery and assist those most impacted by the recession acquire the skills they need to get back to work. The funding available to the region is as follows: $1,466,715 for adults, $3,001,413 for dislocated workers, and $3,374,873 for youth.

While the details are still unfolding, we are committed to fulfilling our role to implement the Act as expeditiously and effectively as possible. We believe these resources present an extraordinary and unique opportunity to advance the transformational efforts underway within the public workforce development system and to improve the development and capacity of the regional system to support individual and business prosperity.

Recognizing that detailed guidance is forthcoming, we are considering the following projects for ARRA funding:

• Build a Pipeline of Qualified Workers for Green Collar and Healthcare Jobs. Provide job seekers (low income, barriered, under-employed adults and laid-off workers) with career guidance, career planning, career exposure, skill development and tuition scholarships for occupational training to inform and prepare for middle skills green collar and healthcare jobs that are in demand and pay a living wage.


• Retrain and Reemploy Increased Numbers of Laid-Off Workers. Target job training, re-training, career guidance, tuition scholarships and skill upgrades for workers laid off from jobs in the manufacturing, construction, high tech and finance sectors to transition them into occupations in healthcare, renewable energy, clean tech, bioscience and green building.


• Expand WorkSource Portland Metro Tuition Scholarships. Increase the number of tuition scholarships for unemployed adults and low income youth to access post-secondary training required to qualify for high demand, middle skills, family wage occupations.


• Expand Services at WorkSource Access Centers. Expand services available to individuals served by WorkSource Portland Metro Access Centers through on-site delivery of skill development and employment services by mobile teams of WorkSource staff.


• Expand Access to Adult Basic Skills and Computer Literacy Services. Expand the number of adults who access tutoring and basic, foundational literacy skill development in a self-paced, open entry environment at all WorkSource Portland Metro Centers and Access Centers.


• Expand Support Services for Trainees. Expand support services for individuals in occupational training to assist them with the costs of child care, transportation, and other basic needs to make it possible for them to successfully complete training.


• Provide Paid Summer Jobs for Youth. Significantly increase the number of low income youth who will be paid to work in summer internships, receive tutoring/credit recovery and visit college campuses and businesses to explore college and career options.


• Enhance Support for Post-Secondary Transition and Persistence. Provide campus-based guidance and support to increased numbers of low income youth so they can make a successful transition to and persist in post-secondary education and training.

How are other Workforce Investment Boards planning to use their stimulus money?