By Guy Coviello
YOUNGSTOWN – The reality began hitting us hard in 2021. We came roaring out of Covid with a labor force smaller than the one prior to the pandemic-induced economic shutdown. Where did all the workers go, we wondered.
Reality hit us even harder in 2022 and 2023 as we announced more and more job creation. Our existing employers, especially small, family-owned companies, felt the pain of rising labor costs and foreign competitors, especially from China.
That’s why the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber decided to make growing the population its No. 1 priority. We went all-in adopting the three R’s – retain, return, receive – a population growth strategy created by the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, one of our vital economic development partners.
Then another reality set in. Job creation isn’t slowing. But neither is the nation’s retirement rate. Coupled with a long-time anemic birthrate, the reality is that we’re not going to grow our way out of the workforce problem.
So now we’ve added another strategy. With another key partner, Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, we have embarked on finding every unemployed person who is capable of working. We are gathering the data to find where they live and why they are not employed. And we have made the commitment to unite service providers and employers that can launch programs that help them overcome barriers.
First, we need your help. If you’re unemployed, underemployed and/or know somebody who fits either category, we need you to complete a survey so that we can gather as much useful data as possible. If you’re an employer struggling to maintain a full staff (that’s pretty much every employer), if you’re a service provider helping the unemployed and underemployed, we need you to complete the survey.
Here’s how: Go to RegionalChamber.com/CNASurvey and answer the questions. It’ll only take about 15 minutes.
If you believe in the value of people and the power of work, if you need more workers for the successful operation of your business and if you want to grow the Valley’s tax base and reduce the strain on social services, this will be one of the best ways you’ve invested 15 minutes.
Statistics tell us that the Mahoning and Shenango valleys have numerous marginalized individuals, people who want to work but don’t, who simply need help removing barriers to training, employment and economic independence.
The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2018-2022 revealed that 15.63% of the local population lives below the poverty level, and 16.19% of households are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Direct correlation between education and employment shows 12% of individuals without a high school diploma are unemployed, which drops to 5% for individuals with some college and 3.8% for individuals with a bachelor’s degree, as reported through the Census Bureau’s Unemployment by Educational Attainment 2011-2021.
Locally, 8.7% of individuals ages 25-64 do not have a high school diploma, according to the Census Bureau’s Community Survey 2018-2022.
The Census Bureau data in 2011-2022 reported historically the highest unemployment rates are among the 16-19-year-old age group, with 42.73% not employed. However, the rate of unemployment has fallen by 50% in the past decade.
Why did the rate of unemployment decrease in recent years? How can we build on that momentum?
An untapped workforce lies within the population identified as having a disability. Locally, the Census Bureau reported only 40% of this population is in the workforce. What training programs and support are needed to assist the remaining population to obtain employment.
Labor shortage is not exclusive to the Mahoning Valley. It’s a national crisis. But with our effort to grow the population, along with this effort to help the marginalized overcome barriers to employment, the Valley will be closer to the solution than most of the communities against whom we compete for economic prosperity.
If I could choose between all the possible economic problems our community could face, I would choose this one. As an employer myself, I’m excited to complete the survey.
Guy Coviello is President & CEO of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.