NMDP To Conduct Survey To Assess Area’s Workforce
The Northeast Missouri Development Partnership (NMDP) has retained Growth Services Group (GSG), a national labor market research consulting firm, to administer a local residential workforce survey. GSG will conduct the survey via targeted social media marketing as well as through NMDP partner organizations. The goal of the survey is to identify the available labor force at the local and regional level by type, education, experience, skills, costs, and under what conditions they would be available for employment.
This type of research reflects the views and perspective of both underemployed workers and the non-employed from ages 18 through 64 and represents the supply side of the workforce. The findings reflect both the current and desired work opportunities of the available and the underemployed component of the workforce. This data complements public data sources since those databases only reflect one component of the total workforce.
Labor is a key factor in site selection. In fact, in Area Development magazine’s 2017 Annual Consultants Survey, “availability of skilled labor” was the number one factor for site consideration. GSG reports quantify the labor availability so that the local labor force assets are clear to those who are looking to potentially employ them. The respondent’s comments will be confidential and only reported in the aggregate or grand totals.
According to NMDP Treasurer Carolyn Chrisman, participating in the survey is very important. Chrisman said, “The results from the survey will assist international site selectors and existing business leaders as they evaluate the area’s human resource assets for ‘Underemployment, Available Skills, Commuting Patterns and Desired Wages,’ thus allowing potential employers to match their labor needs or demand with our local area’s labor supply.”
The project will include a master report with data collected from 27 counties, including two in Illinois and 25 in Missouri. In addition, individual economic development and workforce development organizations will receive breakout reports reflecting data from the counties within their specific labor shed or service territory.
GSG CEO Corey Mehaffy added, “The Labor Supply Certification includes primary research at the residential level, thus providing strategic workforce data that is not available anywhere else. In addition, GSG’s proprietary methodology includes a more disciplined demographic approach to respondents that allows employers to gain a better understanding of the decision-making factors among various age groups within the workforce. As an example, given the continued growth of the millennial segment as an overall percentage of the workforce, it is important for employers to understand the changes in how workers are choosing employment, in what motivates workers in the work environment and in their desired compensation and benefits in order to properly engage their workforce.”
According to Chrisman, it is the Northeast Missouri Development Partnership’s mission to attract quality businesses to the region from around the world, and to maintain foundational efforts to improve the region’s competitiveness.
Developed in 2008, the Northeast Missouri Development Partnership represents cities, counties and organizations in the Northeast Missouri region. The main purpose of NMDP is to create jobs and increase the capital investment of the region. NMDP continues to have a presence on the regional, state, and national level with an emphasis on marketing the region to prospective new industry, networking, economic development, education, and providing a common voice on issues that affect the region. For more information, visit the organization’s website at http://nemopartnership.com.
