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State of the Workforce Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties

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Page 1: of the Workforce - Logical · PDF fileNational Information Technology Apprenticeship System (NITAS). NITAS braids classroom training and on-the- ... National Association of Workforce

Stateof the

WorkforceHerkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties

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Working SolutionsOne Stop Centers

Herkimer County320 N. Prospect St.

Herkimer, NY 13350Phone (315) 867-1400

Madison County1006 Oneida Plaza Drive

Oneida, NY 13421Phone (315) 363-2400

UticaNew York State Office Building

207 Genesee St. 2nd floorUtica, NY 13501

Phone (315) 793-2229

Rome252 West Dominick Street

Rome, NY 13440Phone (315) 337-7300

Wilber AllenElizabeth BowersSandra CastillaRichard CollinsPartick CostelloBurt Danovitz

Tom EllisMichael Fitzgerald

Ervin FullerDavid GibsonMark Mancini

John MargoTed Mohr

Justin MurphySteve NaegeleRobin O’BrienThomas OwensKelli Owens

Robert Payne Jr.

Jacklin PextonJudy Pinard

William PrivettMichael Reese

Cheryl SaundersGary Scalzo

Michael SchaferBarbara SchramSandra SimpsonRonald StanleyNancy Taylor

John TracyAmy Turner

James WallaceFred WigintonDavid Wilcox

Sandra WilczynskiTom Ziegler

Board Members

Wor

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www.working-solutions.org

For more information, visit

State of the Workforce Report

Robin E. O’Brien, ChairAlice J. Savino, Executive Director

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Table of ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Key Sectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Information technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Retail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Health care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Hospitality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Advanced Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Individuals With Disabilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Business Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

3

Tabl

e of

Con

tent

sState of the Workforce Report

This State of the Workforce Report presents a snapshot of the Mohawk Valley Region’sWorkforce.

It is presented by the Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties.The WIB, which sets regional workforce strategy for the tri-county region, was honored by theU.S. Department of Labor as the winner of the Region One 2004 One-Stop Collaboration Awardfor One-Stop/Business Collaboration for the WIB’s Regional Health Care Training Initiative. Theaward citation notes: “Through collaboration and innovation, the Workforce Investment Board ofHerkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties (WIB) has established creative projects addressing theneeds of the region’s health care industry. The WIB has developed relationships with employersand training providers that have shown success in addressing a crisis in entry-level workers andare now beginning to address emerging skill gaps in high-paying positions.”

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Intr

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IntroductionIn November 2003, the Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties began a

year-long effort to identify the major issues facing the workforce of the Herkimer-Madison-Oneida countiesregion in Central Upstate New York, and to continue its efforts to develop the skills employers demand todayand job seekers will need tomorrow.

The process began with a 2003 Workforce Summit, as workforce policy expert and former Congressman SteveGunderson spoke to about 150 local leaders and urged greater awareness of the coming collision between demo-graphics and workforce needs. Gunderson’s basic premise is that the workforce of the future will be very differ-ent from that of today or yesterday – more diverse, less prepared in many basic skill areas, and more in need oflifelong education and skills development due to the nature of emerging sectors such as information technology.

Six months later, after numerous forums, one-on-one meetings, focus groups and reports, the WIB reported onits progress in addressing these issues in a meeting with 150 area leaders and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert,who urged regional leaders to keep ahead of trends and develop sustainable solutions.

In November 2004, the WIB brought together almost 200 area leaders – but not to look back at past reports.Futurist Ed Barlow urged the audience to look years down the road and work now as a region to develop theskills infrastructure that can support the vast changes facing the region as the global economy transforms itsemployment landscape.

This State of the Workforce Report builds upon the research and discussion that has helped increase the num-bers of stakeholders working cooperatively to ensure that the people of the Herkimer-Madison-Oneida regionhave the right skills employers need today; are learning the foundation to develop the skills of tomorrow; andwill have ready a sustainable, adaptable series of partnerships to provide needed training as demands changewith the economy.

On behalf of the Workforce Investment Board, I want to thank the New York State Department of Labor for itsvery generous support of our strategic planning initiative, which was funded through a grant by the state. I alsowant to thank the National Association of Workforce Boards for its support of our efforts to build a demand-driven workforce system, and the U.S. Department of Labor for the vast amount of strategic planning materialavailable through its High Growth Job Training Initiative. Last, but far from least, I want to thank the hundredsof people – staff, employers, educators, elected officials and community members – who devoted time, energyand ideas to our work.

Robin E. O’Brien, ChairWorkforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties

State of the Workforce Report

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5

Key

Sec

torsKey Sectors

State of the Workforce Report

AdvancedManufacturing

Retail

Information Technology

Hospitality

FinancialServices

Health Care

Construction

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Info

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Looking at projections for Oneida County and its neighbors in the Mohawk Valley region served by the WIB,the region will be needing a large number of new IT employees by 2010.

Computer & Information Scientists, Research

Information Systems Managers

Database Administrators

Computer Systems Analysts

Computer Specialists

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Computer Support Specialists

Computer Software Engineers, Applications

Network Systems and Data Communications Managers

Engineers, Systems Software

Through a consortium of colleges led by the SUNY Institute of Technology, the WIB is implementing theNational Information Technology Apprenticeship System (NITAS). NITAS braids classroom training and on-the-job learning to develop competencies that have been established by major IT vendors and companies. Through thisprocess, the region can develop a pool of IT workers with both foundational knowledge and the “skill of the day”as well as help employers create career tracks for employees. Because IT training is costly, the WIB will continueto seek state and federal funding to support worker training.

The WIB’s efforts to develop this innovative project led to its selection as a demand-driven incubator site by theNational Association of Workforce Boards, working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor.

The WIB and Oneida County Workforce Development are working to replicate the successful summer 2004Experience Information Technology program, which matched high school students with local IT employers forsummer internships.

In 2005, the WIB and Oneida County Workforce Development will be implementing the IT Link project to helpworkers upgrade skills. IT Link was funded through the efforts of Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, Chair of the HouseScience Committee.

33%

41%

42%

49%

56%

59%

78%

82%

82%

85%

Projected Information Technology Position Increases

Key Factors

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

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New York State Department of Labor projections document that the region will need to fill openings equal to:

Key Factors

The WIB has developed a broad-based, multi-phased plan of action to address both short-term and long-termrecruitment issues.

The Mohawk Valley Construction Industry Development coalition, which has completed its second annual highlysuccessful Construction Career Day, has developed programs to recruit adults into programs that provide high-qual-ity skills to potential employees, increase interest among secondary students in vocational education programs thatcover these career areas, and increase the overall positive visibility of construction careers. The project earned a“Promising Practice” designation from the New York State Department of Labor.

The WIB is also participating in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Skilled Trades Initiative to help prospective con-struction workers who are still in school learn about career opportunities.

To help develop future employees, the WIB and Oneida County Workforce Development are working with theUtica Municipal Housing Authority on its YouthBuild project designed to help find employment for young peoplewho did not complete school.

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

Carpenters: Electricians: Masons:

22 percent of current workforce;average pay $27,310 per year.

14 percent of current workforce;average pay $33,500 per year.

18 percent of current workforce;average pay $29,702 per year.

This growth is likely to be exceeded in the short term by the construction associated with the HOPE VI projectin Utica’s Cornhill sector.

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Ret

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Retail and customer service jobs are the largest in terms ofnumbers in the region. The dominant retail workforce issuesare retention, recruitment, education, and training. Key nation-al workforce issues impacting the region include the following:

The retail industry has a large demand for workers. In anincreasingly diverse society, multi-lingual employees are desir-able. Retailers are customer service-driven and need workers tospeak the languages of their customer base. Limited EnglishProficiency (LEP) is a problem. Workers may speak the lan-guage of customers, but lack basic English language and litera-cy skills.

Retail is increasingly driven by high-end technology thatrequires advanced skills. Employers recruit job candidates from community colleges and universities and trainincumbent workers to upgrade their skills for career advancement.

Larger retailers prefer employees with a high school education. In the retail grocery industry, employersincreasingly seek graduates of college and university, junior and community college, and technical institute pro-grams in food marketing, food management, and supermarket management.

The retail sector is often the “first job” for many populations including youth, adults re-entering the labor force,long-term unemployed individuals and refugees. The WIB is working with employers and service providers toensure that low-cost basic skills instruction is being provided that allows retailers to choose from a qualified work-force.

WIB will work with retailers to assess interest in short-term, low-cost basic skills training for new hires thatcould fit within existing WIA OJT parameters. The WIB sees this as a viable alternative to the traditional methodin which employees learn by termination how to conduct themselves on the job.

Key Factors

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

Retail is increasingly driven by high-end technology that requiresadvanced skills. Employers recruit job candidates from communitycolleges and universities and train incumbent workers to upgrade

their skills for career advancement.

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With New York States population continuing to become older (Census projections call for a 62.7% increase in thenumbers of New Yorkers aged 85 and above between 1993 and 2020 and the Herkimer-Madison-Oneida Region con-sistently older than the state’s average), the demand for health care workers continually rises.

Key Factors

Since its founding in 2000, the WIB has made health care training a priority. In 2004, its efforts to work with healthcare employers earned the WIB the One-Stop/Business Collaboration Award from Region One of the U.S.Department of Labor.

The WIB will be seeking to implement a regional health care workforce council to help employers across a six-county region develop common approaches to key training needs. This will include increasing distance learningoptions, and developing a regional career lattice for the health care industry that can enhance employee retention andrecruitment.

The WIB will be also working with local educators to build on the success of pilot projects begun in 2004 to devel-op future nurses from among the under-represented populations in local schools.

The WIB will also continue to work with employers to develop creative solutions to workforce retention, such asthe Career Ladder Project with St. Elizabeth Medical Center, RN-BSN Program at Rome Memorial Hospital and EC-CEL Management Training Program with St. Elizabeth. The WIB’s efforts in this area have been cited as promising

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

Medical and Clinical Lab Technologists

Cardiovascular technicians

Speech pathologists

Respiratory therapists

Surgical technologists

Physician assistants

Medical assistants

Licensed Practical Nurses

Nursing Aides

Major entry-level openings for CNAs and LPNs will also increase.

46%

35%

30.7%

29%

26%

25.4%

24%

Projected increases include:

12%

17%

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Fin

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Call center staff represent a major entry-level pathway for the region’s workers.

For call center operations, success and profitability are extremely dependent upon the people who work thereand how they respond to the company’s and customers’ questions, needs and demands. Call centers provideemployment opportunities for students, individuals reentering the labor market after an extended absence, andindividuals seeking to attach to the workforce after a period on public assistance.

Soft skills for both of the above-mentioned sectors are vital, and would include:

The WIB’s NITAS initiative is expected to help financial services employers deal with major IT workforcedevelopment needs. The WIB will also seek to work with existing call center operations and the Women’sEmployment Resource Center to see whether WERC’s highly successful call center training can be adapted for awider constituency.

Key Factors

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

Work ethic — a motivating belief that employees owetheir employer a full day of diligent work, including follow-ing supervisors’ instructions.

Courtesy — the habitual use of “please,” “thank you,”“excuse me” and “may I help you” in dealing with cus-tomers, supervisors and colleagues.

Teamwork — the ability to share responsibilities, conferwith others, honor commitments, help others do their jobsand seek help when needed.

Self-discipline and self-confidence — the ability toarrange one’s own tasks for best performance, to learnfrom experience, to ask questions and correct mistakes,and to absorb criticism and direction without feelingdefeated, resentful or insulted.

Conformity to prevailing norms — the ability to governone’s dress, grooming, body language, tone of voice andvocabulary according to the particular style of a givenworkplace.

Language proficiency — the ability to speak, read andwrite standard English in a businesslike way.

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Hos

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The regional hospitality sector is dominated by theOneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone complex,which employs about 4,000 people in its casino,hotel, golf courses and other hospitality ventures.

Tourism and the hospitality sector have an extreme-ly diverse workforce. Tourism encompasses an enor-mous range of different skills and occupations,although most provide either direct service to a cus-tomer or are administrative support roles to those whoprovide direct service. This sector is often character-ized by young entry-level workers who may begin assummer help before shifting to a full-time career afterhigh school or college. Workers in these occupations have traditionallylearned their skills on the job in areas such as housekeeping, building opera-tion and maintenance, or food preparation. Traditionally, post-secondaryeducation has not been required for most entry-level positions, although ahigh school diploma is often required by larger employers. Individuals whoenter this area with career ambitions require specialized skills that includemanagement training, information technology capabilities and extremelystrong customer service/hospitality skills. Careers in fields such as lodging,food service, resort, convention and facilities management are increasing asthe sector expands, although training programs in this area are generally lim-ited, as are degree offerings.

Key Factors

Oneida County Workforce Development has begun to work with youth in both areas through targeted SummerYouth Employment programs that will teach tourism/heritage and also food safety. The Workforce InvestmentBoard is also working with dislocated workers to identify skills that can allow for a fast assessment of skills andthen a transition into the higher-end positions within the growing industry.

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

”Careers in fields such as lodging, food service, resort, convention and facilities management are increasing as

the sector expands, although training programs in this area are generally limited, as are degree offerings.

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The Federal Reserve has noted that “Upstate New Yorkholds a strong position in U.S. medical manufacturing. Ifthe region were a separate state, it would rank eighthnationally in medical equipment and supply employmentand eleventh in pharmaceutical jobs.” Utica showed a highemployment concentration in optical instruments & lensesand electromedical equipment. ConMed Corporation, aproducer of medical devices for surgery and critical care,accounted for over half of Utica ’s approximately 1,400jobs in medical manufacturing employment.

Empire Aero, a division of Israeli Aircraft Industries,has relocated to Rome’s Griffiss Park and hopes to hire upto 500 people to repair jumbo jets and other aircraft.Empire has already been expanding hiring since its 2003arrival in Oneida County. The WIB has worked withMohawk Valley EDGE, the BOCES Consortium ofContinuing Education and the company to offer neededtraining that is helping the company grow.

Based on outreach to local employers, the major issue facing manufacturers in any capacity is lowering theircost of doing business and increasing their productivity. The WIB is working to help employers improve effi-ciency by supporting training programs on a variety of levels:

Through the leadership of Gov. George Pataki and the State Department of Labor, manufacturers are eligiblefor support through the SMART Program: Training Workers in Manufacturing Industries (For Small- andMedium-Sized Businesses) Request for Applications #17-K. Information on seeking state funding is available online at www.workforcenewyork.org.

The New York State Department of Labor’s Building Skills in New York State (BUSINYS) Request ForApplications #32-I also offers up to $100,000 in training for all types of businesses, including manufacturers.Information on seeking state funding is available on line at www.workforcenewyork.org.

The WIB’s on-the-job training program, administered by the Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce, has suc-cessfully helped many small manufacturers increase the skills of workers so that the company can increase pro-ductivity or expand into new lines of business. Employers with questions about the OJT programs can contactthe WIB at 793-6037.

Key Factors

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

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Unemployment for individuals with disabilities ranges well above50% across the region.

An increasing number of individuals with disabilities are graduat-ing from high school with both higher skills and higher expectationsthan in the past.

Although the business environment is generally accessible to indi-viduals with disabilities, misperceptions endure about the cost ofcompliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

At a time when employers need to find creative ways to deal withpositions, customized employment strategies that can give part-timeemployment to individuals with disabilities offers a tremendousopportunity to create a win-win situation.

Key Factors

The WIB is currently operating two projects to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabili-ties: a Work Incentive Grant to improve service delivery in the region’s One-Stop Centers and a CustomizedEmployment Grant to change both how the system works with people with disabilities and to increase the numbersof people employed through customized employment strategies.

The WIB and Oneida County Workforce Development are reaching out to populations with multiple barriers toemployment, including the homeless and ex-offenders, to ensure that all people with the potential for success areworking and to reduce the costs of government support to individuals who can become self-sufficient with theright supportive network.

Policy Actions

”At a time when employers need to find creative ways to deal withpositions, customized employment strategies that can give part-time

employment to individuals with disabilities offers a tremendousopportunity to create a win-win situation.

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Long-term workforce development in key areas such asinformation technology and health care requires outreach atthe high school level (or sooner) to inform students aboutpotential careers so that they can take the needed courses forcollege entry and college success.

Meanwhile, youth who drop out of school are difficult toreconnect with education. Without a GED, they face limit-ed employment options. The population of youth who donot graduate from high school has risen in light of thehigher state standards.

The WIB and its partners have increased their partnerships with educational organizations to offer support andoutreach to students interested in vital economic sectors.

STEP: Oneida County Workforce Development and Mohawk Valley Community College collaborated tosecure a three-year Science and Technology Entry Program grant from the New York State Department ofEducation. Over the three years, more than 100 students will receive internships, job shadowing and academicsupports to help them graduate from high school with the skills they need to succeed in college.

Nursing Workforce Diversity: The WIB and MVCC, in cooperation with local community-based and faith-based organizations, are developing a Nursing Workforce Diversity project to provide work experience and aca-demic support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who can enter the region’s health care workforce tohelp provide culturally competent care.

Key Factors

Policy Actions

State of the Workforce Report

”Long-term workforce developmentin key areas such as information

technology and health care requiresoutreach at the high school level

(or sooner) to inform students aboutpotential careers so that they can

take the needed courses for collegeentry and college success.

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Bus

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Business Services

The Workforce Investment Board and the Working Solutions Centers offer extensive services to help employers:

find the right people for the right jobs

train employees to boost productivity (including new hires)

access government grants targeted for businesses

All employer services are provided using experienced Employer Services Team representatives who know the keysectors of the region’s economy. Employer services through the WIB provide ongoing customer support and keeppaperwork to a minimum.

Key Employer Services include:

On-The-Job Training, including training for new hires and for skill upgrades.

Customized training to keep pace with the changing economy

Employee Recruitment and Screening

Human Resource Consulting

Information on Empire Zone Tax Benefits

Information on targeted tax credits for employers who hire individuals from one of eight targeted groups.

Connections to Training Providers and support to design training packages.

For details on these services, contact our Working Solutions One Stop Centers:

Herkimer County: (315) 867-1400

Madison County: (315) 363-2400

Oneida County (Rome): 337-7300

Oneida County (Utica): 793-2229.

On the Web: www.working-solutions.org

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www.working-solutions.org