Agenda - 06-03-2008-5b5e - Laserfiche WebLink

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Workgroup on Work Force Development Overall Strategy: By June 2010, effective systems will be in place to adequately train and support residents and those who work in Orange County. At least 75 percent of all new jobs in the county (for both new and expanding businesses) will be filled by county residents. Why the strategy is critical: As the cost of living (particularly the cost of housing) has increased in the county, it has become difficult for low- and moderate-income workers to live here. Without more training and support, county workers will be unable to support themselves and their families and will be forced to seek various forms of public and private assistance to meet their basic needs for food,. shelter, clothing, and transportation. In the long run, these workers may choose to leave the county, which may result in a worker shortage for certain businesses. A) Form partnerships with Durham Technical Community College (DTCC), UNC-Chapel Hill, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Schools, Orange County Schools, and others to provide adequate training and education to enable county workers to obtain high quality jobs (i.e. jobs thatpay a living wage and offer comprehensive employee benefits and career advancement potential). Most of the work of the Workforce Development group during the past year has focused on getting a better understanding of barriers to employment for local residents. During the course of the year, the workgroup hosted focus groups of temporary agencies, employers, and job seekers who were either unemployed or underemployed. Members of the workgroup developed the questions and facilitated the sessions. The employer and temporary agency sessions were videotaped, and extensive notes were taken at the employee sessions. In addition, the work group developed a survey of people who are actively looking for work. In general, employers and temporary agency staff note that job seekers, particularly young applicants, tend to have unYealistic expectations. Several human resource specialists noted that young job hunters think they can move into management jobs immediately, and tend to expect higher salaries than they are likely to receive. There were alsa concerns about basic skill deficiencies and attitudes towar°d work. Among job seekers, the most frequently cited barrier (both in finding a job and keeping a job) was transportation. Other barriers frequently cited were childcare, criminal background, and poor credit report. In terms of keeping a job, the second most frequently cited barrier was pay too low. The survey results as well as a summary of the employee focus groups are shown in Attachment B. The next steps for the wor kgroup include sharing the findings to date with the schools and DTCC, as well as sharing results across groups, possibly in one large focus group that includes participants from the previous sessions.