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Explore past & projected growth in aerospace industries based on company-specific survey data. Understand labor market trends, occupational demand, and training efforts to prepare for future workforce needs.
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Chattahoochee Valley Aerospace Using Survey Data to Complement Labor Market Analysis Research
Organization • About the surveys • Past and projected industry growth • Occupational demand • Industry training efforts
Things to keep in mind • Labor market data • Show past performance of all firms, not just a sample • Projections combine past performance with national trends to create estimates of future performance • Data were assembled last year prior to the recent worsening of the economic downturn • Survey data • Company-specific data • Sample sizes are very small • Questions are more short-term in nature than the timeframes used in the data analysis
About the survey respondents • The three largest aerospace firms responded to the survey • Responding firms were relatively large • 1 firms had 500+ workers • 2 firms had 100 to 499 workers
Employment in Targeted Industries Source: EMSI
Industry growth trends and projections • Aerospace parts and product manufacturing is the primary source of aerospace employment in the region • It was also the primary source of employment growth between 2002 and 2007 • It is projected to grow over the next decade • Minimal employment growth expected from the other aerospace-related industries
Industry growth-survey findings Past growth Planned expansion Limited plans for expansion over the next year Only 1 firm planned to add net new employment over the next year (15 workers) All planned expansion in 1-3 yr. time frame 3 companies were set to create 21, 30 and 50 new positions Between 3 and 5 years, two firms planned some kind of expansion • Two out of three firms added employment over the past year • 1 firm hired 25 or more workers • 1 firm hired 10 to 14 workers • 1 firm hired none • There are no current openings at any of the three aerospace firms
Industry growth trends and projections • The survey findings provided further evidence that these industries have the capacity for growth • All firms are large employers • In spite of the current economic environment, the firms indicated that they will be adding employment in the medium- to long-term
Industry aging-survey findings • Firms noted that a relatively small proportion of their workforce expected to retire over the next 5 years • According to data, an estimated 12 percent of the workforce will be 65 years or older • All firms expect a proportion of their workforce to retire over the next 3 to 5 years • Proportions range from 1 percent to 13 percent • Survey findings confirms that for at least one firm, retirements will be a factor • Current environment may however lead people to work longer
Hiring requirements • All three firms required at least a high school diploma or equivalent for entry-level, front line positions • Two firms also required relevant experience in a related field • One firm also noted that for some positions they require a Technical College certificate or diploma
Fastest growing occupations in the target industries (2002-2017) Source: EMSI
Needed occupations • Areas of greatest occupational needs • Inspectors & testers • Machine operators • Metal bond technicians • Team assemblers • The occupations identified as the fastest growing are not necessarily the same as the occupations of greatest need. • Is this an issue that merits further study? • Are missing some key firms from our network?
Factors making hiring difficult • Limited number of qualified candidates in the region • All 3 firms indicated that this was an issue for hiring machinists • Other factors include: • Lack of awareness about opportunities available in the industry • Competition for other employers in the region
Factors making retention difficult • All firms noted that competition for workers from other employers in the region created the most difficulty in retaining workers • Especially the case for machinists • Limited opportunities to pursue additional education at local college and universities • Final forge operators • Inability of workers to meet “basic” requirements also noted by one firm as a retention issue
Occupations identified as critical for firm competitiveness • Machine operators • Machinists • A&P mechanics • Team assemblers • Inspectors • First line supervisors • Metal bond technicians
Occupations identified as potential areas of training focus • Inspectors and testers • Machine operators • Metal bond technicians • Machinist • Team assemblers • Front-line supervisors • Red=Occupations where more than 100 workers will require training
OJT and training opportunities • Most occupations required workers to have roughly 40 hours per year of training • All firms indicated that on-the-job training would meet over 75 percent of their training needs for: • Inspectors and testers • Machine operators • Metal bond technicians • Machinist • Team assemblers • Front-line supervisors