Job opportunities figure to become more plentiful in Northwest Arkansas as the region grows, but filling those jobs with workers educated and trained within the region is a growing concern.
Bringing businesses and educators together was the focus of a Monday task force at the Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative in Farmington. As it stands now the region, with a population nearing 500,000, faces a looming shortage of qualified employees in three key areas: skilled trades, information technology and heath-care professions.
“We have to make sure our great schools are aligned with the great opportunities,” said Kim Davis, director of Education and Workforce Development for the Northwest Arkansas Council. “Companies looking to relocate are looking for a skilled workforce. There is a gap between the number of jobs offered in Northwest Arkansas and the individuals trained for those jobs. We need to make sure we’re meeting the demand.”
Davis, speaking to about 180 educators, business leaders and economic development specialists, illustrated the point by offering statistics from three job sectors.
Area employers reported 1,000 information-technology job openings in 2013 and filled those with 120 workers trained or educated in Northwest Arkansas. A similar number of skilled trade jobs were filled by 87 employees who were trained or educated in Northwest Arkansas. Data cited by Davis was collected through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Health-care positions such as radiation technician and registered nurse performed slightly better. Of 1,200 openings in the region, about 650 were filled by workers who completed their education or certification locally.
A need for better training isn’t limited to just Northwest Arkansas. Steve Sparks, director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s existing business resource division, said similar discussions are needed throughout the state. Getting employers to understand how to communicate their needs to educators is key to addressing potential workforce shortages.
“Education is a long, slow process to change. Most business people don’t know how to translate their needs into what educators understand,” Sparks said. “Employers are losing a lot of time and money on training that could be done before the employees get there.”
A recent employer survey conducted by area chambers of commerce and released by the Northwest Arkansas Council pointed to skilled labor as the top concern for the region. Northwest Arkansas businesses project the hiring of 2,000 additional workers over the next three years, but they are concerned about filling those with quality employees.
Getting secondary and postsecondary educators to tailor their teaching to changes in the workplace - especially as they relate to technology and communication - will be key.
“These businesses operate off the market and it’s supply and demand,” said Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Chancellor Bruce Sikes. “If the industry needs a supply of workers and skills, it’s our responsibility to put it out there for them. And we need to help students understand what their career options are.”
Business, Pages 23 on 03/18/2014