Lynn council group to target jobs development

LYNN – The City Council has created a new committee that will focus on local jobs development.City Council President Timothy Phelan named Ward 6 Councilor Peter L. Capano chairman of the committee that is comprised of council members Paul Crowley, Daniel Cahill, William Trahant Jr. and Brendan Creighton.The Workforce Development Committee will partner with other area agencies that have similar missions and interests, including the North Shore Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and its one-stop career center at 181 Union St.Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. John F. Tierney, state Rep. Steve Walsh, Gov. Deval Patrick, Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and other officials gathered at the Lynn jobs development facility to announce a $260,000 federal grant that will be split between the Lynn and Salem career centers.”We need to bring jobs to the Lynn area that come with a living wage and benefits, not just part-time jobs that pay low wages and little else,” said Capano. “We’d like to see jobs that also create a possible career path.”Capano cited the E-Team program as an example because it trains area residents as skilled machinists and follows up with potential job opportunities. “Adult education and vocational training are two things we need to strengthen,” he said. “My hope is that once we take a look at the situation, we will know where the jobs are, and in the Lynn area I’d guess we will find them in manufacturing and healthcare.”According to Capano, the U.S. population is aging as the Baby Boomer generation reaches retirement age. “Somebody has to take care of them, so that means more healthcare jobs,” he said. “They are also the last generation of skilled laborers, and since they are retiring, there will be job openings, presuming younger workers are equipped with the necessary skills. That’s why vocational training is so important.”Previous generations of workers often asked for wage increases, but such requests today are more apt to focus on expanded job benefits, said Capano, adding, “Healthcare is like gold. If a job comes with health insurance, it is highly valued.”Requests for tax cuts rather than salary increases are also more predominant today, he said.The new committee chairman has already met with WIB Executive Director Mary Sarris to discuss the state of workforce development on the North Shore.”Peter and I talked about the concept and I think it’s an excellent idea,” said Sarris. “We already had conversation with (Lynn School Superintendent Catherine Latham) as we begin to prepare information for the School Department to help them understand the North Shore labor market and the opportunities that are there from a work standpoint.”Capano said the schools are one target but Lynn residents in general should be included so that the workforce development initiative has the widest benefit. Sarris agreed.”We need people to understand what skills are needed now and what skills will be required for the future,” she said. “Healthcare is currently the largest employer on the North Shore and in Massachusetts. Hopefully, manufacturing will recover and grow again. But the big question mark is on the green economy and what it will mean to us in terms of jobs.”Sarris noted that the Clean Technology Center recently opened as a high-tech business incubator in the J.B. Blood Building on Wheeler Street. “We will be working with them to see what jobs might be in that environment,” she said. “We have to think positive. Jobs will be relatively high-skilled, so people have to understand that they need to learn to love math.”