Figure 7
n Low Skills (Entry-level, General Labor) n Engineers n Machine Operators, Machinists, CNC Operators n Management n Welders n Industrial/Machinery Maintenance High demand jobs reported by companies
RISING SALES AND EMPLOYMENT Most of the business we met with in 2017 work in growing industry sectors. As expected, the majority reported both increases in sales and hiring. (See Figures 5 and 6 on page 15) Many of these companies also report plans for upcoming expansions, with 60 percent expecting to expand in the next three years. These expansion plans have the potential to add an additional boost toWest Michigan’s economy in the future, and our team is connecting these companies to needed resources that remove barriers to their growth. We work as trusted partners with these companies to ensure they’re able to complete their expansion plans right here in the region. WORKFORCE WOES The challenge of finding and retaining a talented and skilled workforce persists. Nearly 75 percent of manufacturers and
7%
10%
35%
10%
18%
20%
the regions that are able to solve this workforce dilemma will be best positioned to compete globally. This is why The Right Place continues to work with local and statewide partners to make sure the West Michigan workforce possesses the skills companies need both nowand in the future. What are the skills companies look for? Many report they’re searching for engineers, entry-level workers, industrial maintenance, and management, to name a few. For more details, see Figure 7 and the skills sidebar on this page. Beyond specific skills, our business development team is also hearing firms are struggling to meet inclusion goals. Companies are actively recruiting female and non-white employees, yet they face a low supply of candidates. Combine this with the all-time-high demand for this section of West Michigan’s workforce, and companies have significant difficulties reaching their goals. MOVING FORWARD INTO 2018 Givenwhatwe’ve heard fromWestMichigan businesses, and the labor market data our team has analyzed, we expect many of last year’s challenges to spill over into 2018. Uncertainty remains the status quo and West Michigan’s workforce is stretched thin. Yet, simultaneously, many of the region’s industries are experiencing rapid job growth out-pacing the state and nation as a whole. Companies are capitalizing on opportunities and investing in their businesses. If you would like to meet with The Right Place to discuss your future business opportunities and challenges, please contact us at info@rightplace.org to set up a confidentialmeeting. Amemberof ourteam of experts will visit your company and assist you with accessing a wide variety of resources to keep you competitive locally, domestically, and globally. We look forward to working with you.
over 65 percent of all companies told us they’re experiencing recruitment problems. While West Michigan’s two years of record-low unemployment are partly to blame, there’s no shortage of issues causing this talent crunch. These issuesarenotuniquetoWestMichigan. Employers nationwide are experiencing similar workforce challenges. However,
IN DEMAND SKILLS What skills are West Michigan companies searching for exactly? We used EMSI’s job posting analytics tool to validate what we’ve heard from companies.
Lower-skilled industrial trades: • Production Assemblers • Press Operators • Press Assistants • Injection Mold Operators • Machine Operators • CNC Operators • Production Worker Required hard skills: • Preventive Maintenance • Blueprinting • Welding • Lathes • Mechanics Top I.T. skills: • SQL (Programming Language) • Software Development • Information Systems • Agile Software Development • Java (Programming Language) • C# (Programming Language)
Industrial skilled trades: • Maintenance & Repair Workers • Industrial Machinery Mechanics • Machinists • Welders • Electricians • Electrical & Electronics Repairers • CNC Programmers • Tool & Die Makers Required soft skills: • Troubleshooting/problem solving • Management Operations • Communications Top I.T. job titles: • Software Engineers • Systems Analysts • Project Managers • Business Analysts • Desktop Support Technicians • Java Developers
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI)
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THE STATE OF OUR REGION
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