Who is going to fill those jobs? | Opinion

My staff and I are always getting questions from the local businesses – where are the people I need to hire? Why can't I find good help these days? What do I need to do?

First, I suggest that people Google and read "The Demographic Drought" by EMSI/Burning Glass. This document will give you many of the answers to your questions. We are in a "sansdemic" where there are not enough people in the U.S. to fill all the current jobs.

If you are more visual, view the following link by the author of the "Demographic Drought" and the latest update called "Bridging the Talent Gap" at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y7aQSfPe50

What are the barriers to employment? The first barrier is the lack of childcare. In the Big Bend, there are approximately 200+ childcare facilities; however, they are complete. They, too, have problems finding workers because of the pandemic, and the pay in this industry is very low, even though the cost of childcare is very high.

Second, transportation is a barrier, and especially now, with gas prices at a record high, there is a real pinch on the household budget. Also, in Gadsden County, a lack of public transportation continues to prevent many citizens from working.

Third, the average labor market participation rate is around 62% in the Gadsden, Leon, and Wakulla counties where CareerSource Capital Region serves. This means that 38% of eligible workers (people 15 to 64) are not engaged. What makes up this population? Those that are retired, incarcerated, and family parents who cannot find childcare to be able to work. The capital region's unemployment rate (individuals actively looking for work in the past four weeks) is now below 3%, which is considered full employment. As of the end of May, there were 4,913 unemployed residents in the region.

On the employer side, the days you could post a job and have a hundred applicants are over. Today, the successful business owner must go out and recruit.

In addition, employers need a strong relationship with the K-12 and post-secondary school systems to hire graduates of technical and community colleges.

Where possible, employers also need to limit the limiting requirement on job postings and reduce the barriers to job postings to allow more flexibility. That will give employers the best chance of finding the talent they seek.

CareerSource Capital Region has a toolkit of solutions to assist employers in this increasingly challenging market. We look forward to serving you.

Jim McShane, the CEO of CareerSource Capital Region.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to letters@tallahassee.com. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at Tallahassee.com/Zing. Submissions are published on a space-available basis. All submissions may be edited for content, clarity and length, and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Employers must nurture their future talent pool | Opinion