The WDC Releases Exciting Workforce Tool Updates
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 8, 2015
The WDC Releases Exciting Workforce Tool Updates in Honor of Labor Day— The Workforce Development Council of Seattle King County (WDC) is pleased to announce exciting updates to a few of its signature Workforce Tools: State of the Workforce, Talent Pipeline Studies, Map Your Career, and Woofound. In honor of Labor Day, the WDC would like to celebrate all workers for their contribution to the Seattle-King County workforce and highlight the major role that workers play in our regional economy.
In collaboration with Community Attributes, Inc., the WDC has updated the data in the State of the Workforce, its signature labor market information resource for Seattle-King County jobseekers and the larger community. The State of the Workforce is an interactive report and living document that provides regional workforce and demographic data in a visually engaging and easily understood format. An extensive compilation of industry and jobs data, the report also provides new information on youth employment, income and socio-economics, education, demographics and migration, and commuting.
Some of the findings include a continued rise in both King County total population but also in our labor force. King County continues to outpace the rest of the state and the nation with a lower unemployment rate combined with a higher labor force participation rate. Of interesting note is that our local employed workforce is aging with over 43% being 45 years old or older.
Talent Pipeline Studies focus on growing local sectors and serve as occupational supply and demand analyses of the local labor market. This WDC research identifies potential gaps that may persist without changes in workforce preparation efforts and supports the industry-driven design of the Seattle-King County workforce system. The WDC is excited to release updates to three of its studies: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Manufacturing; and Transportation and Logistics.
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Talent Pipeline
King County’s professional, scientific, and technical services sector is a significant employer in the region, representing 111,300 employees in 2013. Total employment in professional, scientific, and technical services occupations is slated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4%. Growth among the core professional, scientific, and technical services occupations through 2023 is expected to total 4,525 jobs per year, including existing employees regularly exiting employment to retire, move, or change jobs, but not employees who change jobs within the same occupation and area. Occupational shortfalls are anticipated for jobs at all educational requirement levels.
Manufacturing Talent Pipeline
King County’s manufacturing sector is a significant employer in the region, representing 105,790 employees in 2013. Total employment in manufacturing occupations is slated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.9%. Growth among the core manufacturing occupations through 2023 is expected to total 1,815 jobs per year throughout all industries, including existing employees regularly exiting employment to retire, move, or change jobs, but not employees who change jobs within the same occupation and area. Across all core occupations, the industry is expected to experience a shortfall of 834 positions per year based on local supply.
Transportation and Logistics Talent Pipeline
Transportation and logistics is an important player in the local economy, and a larger employer within the region, employing 49,390 workers in King County in 2013. Total employment within the sector is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.9%. Growth among core occupations within the transportation and logistics sector between 2018 and 2023 is forecasted to total 3,345 jobs annually. Total growth in employment includes existing employees regularly exiting employment to retire, move, or change jobs, but does not include employees who change jobs within the same occupation and area. Occupational shortfalls are expected to be greatest among occupations that require on-the-job training.
The WDC completely redesigned Map Your Career to include graphics that are more accessible and engaging to youth and adult jobseekers and workers. Map Your Career outline critical labor market information for people those who are looking into various career pathways. From industry economic indicators to job projections to age and education demographics, Map Your Career provides a quick reference for career pathways in industries vital to the King County economy.
Woofound now has added features that will help jobseekers identify a viable career path. Now more interactive, Woofound makes personality-based career matching easily accessible and quickly accomplished. Using an image-based online assessment that is available via standard computers and mobile devices, Woofound delivers results to help guide career options research and decision-making.
“As we work to constantly innovate and design data-driven workforce tools, these updates serve to make labor market information more interactive, comprehensive, and accessible for a range of audiences, from job seekers to businesses to youth,” says WDC Chief Executive Officer, Marléna Sessions.
All of these tools can be found on the WDC website here at www.seakingwdc.org.
To learn more about these exciting tools, sign up to attend next week’s Workforce Tools Webinar on Tuesday, September 15, 10:30am-Noon. To learn more and register, visit http://www.seakingwdc.org/think-tank/. Space is limited!