North country employers struggle to find workers
The real estate investor said he wants to hire two maintenance technicians, but fewer people have submitted applications for roles with his company than in previous years. Some who applied also lacked
Hours spent searching for and vetting candidates can be costly for the developer, who said it takes away time that could be spent toward managing his properties and client services. The strain becomes exacerbated when candidates fail to show up for interviews.
"It's more of a challenge than it used to be,"
Several employers throughout the north country have struggled to fill vacancies with qualified workers in recent years .
Restaurateur
Manufacturer
"We're seeing a labor shortage that we've been talking about for quite some time," she said.
Companies have also struggled to attract younger workers fresh out of high school or college who may pursue opportunities in other regions said
The lack of applicants to fill jobs can also have economic consequences. In order to compensate for a smaller workforce,
"It has a ripple affect," he said.
SCHOOLS AFFECTED
Academic institutions endure a teacher shortage that has lasted for years.
Exhaustive searches for applicants can be costly for school districts in both time and resources,
Some districts might be pressured to raise wages to remain competitive or hire people who are still working on obtaining their certification. Others have considered sharing teachers and hiring long-term substitutes.
"You don't want to leave the classroom with no one," he said.
The pool of potential teachers may increase as SUNY Potsdam and other colleges have more students pursuing teaching degrees this year,
"Now we need some rational, bright, idealistic folks to say 'There are opportunities for me in education. There are good opportunities,'" he said.
HEALTH CARE NEEDs
The health care industry nationwide has also been hungry for more workers, with
Samaritan hosted a career fair Wednesday to recruit possible candidates for its registered nurse, certified nurse assistant, licensed nurse practitioner and other positions.
Manager of Recruiting
"It's a very competitive market today,"
SOME UNQUALIFIED
Some employers also receive applications from prospective workers that don't meet their desired qualifications.
Finding applicants with 4,000 hours of construction experience has also been difficult for the Local 1822 chapter of the
"Sometimes, it's a little difficult finding younger groups to do the work that we do," he said.
North country employers have raised their promotion efforts through events like career jams. They've also searched for other tactics to increase their workforce and employee retention.
WAGES RISE
Communication and Public Relations Director
"That's really about making sure employees feel appreciated and rewarded for what they do," she said.
"Most employers I know always complain about not getting the people they want,"
___
(c)2018 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.)
Visit Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) at www.watertowndailytimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Rebecca Gorrell of PIVOT Income Strategies Named to New York Life’s Chairman’s Council
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News