The
following article has been submitted by Dr.
Chris Pierce, Associate Director,
Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development,
University of West Florida
Marjorie Cummins, Creel Bryan and
Gallagher, Chairperson of the Workforce Development Board of
Okaloosa and Walton Counties, announces the launching of a
Regional Labor Market Survey of local businesses and households of
Okaloosa and Walton Counties. The Workforce Development Board
of Okaloosa and Walton Counties has contracted with the
University of West Florida’s Haas Center for Business Research
and Economic Development (Haas Center) in response to the Request
for Proposal for a Regional Labor Market Study.
The Workforce Development Board of
Okaloosa and Walton Counties provides oversight, guidance and
direction for the full menu of JobsPlus workforce
development services throughout Okaloosa and Walton Counties.
The purpose of the Regional Labor
Market Study is to understand the supply and demand in Workforce
Development Board Region 2 (Okaloosa and Walton Counties) “labor
shed” or labor market conditions. The two survey instruments
address such questions as productivity, turnover, absenteeism,
required skills, availability of workforce and underemployment.
The first survey is a (1) Workplace Based Survey (WB) that
will be sent to over 1,800 randomly selected businesses.
Understanding the labor supply issues requires surveying the
populations or households, thus a (2) Household Based Survey (HB)
is being sent to over 4,500 randomly selected households to gather
information about workers and their varying employment status.
There are numerous benefits from
generating this type of labor market data. Once available, this
information will provide local leaders with a better understanding
of the different industrial sectors and provide solid information
for marketing and targeting industry selection and recruitment
efforts. Economic development organizations will have current and
appropriate information on which to base programmatic efforts to
service both existing and new industries and to exploit
underdeveloped potentials in our area.
You are highly encouraged to
complete and return the labor market survey. Survey results are
needed to guide efforts in the areas of policymaking, workforce
development, continuing education and infrastructure.
For additional information, contact
Dr. Chris Pierce, Associate Director, Haas Center for Business
Research and Economic Development, University of West Florida,
850/863-0732 or Mary Lou Reed, Executive Director, Workforce
Development Board of Okaloosa and Walton Counties at 850/651-2315. |
