Board maps area labor market blueprint

SALEM – The North Shore Workforce Investment Board (WIB) and North Shore Career Centers, in conjunction with its local partners, released its newest Labor Market Blueprint and Economic Development Snapshot, detailing the critical and emerging industries on the North Shore and the steps needed to keep these industries strong and growing across the region.Eastern Bank was the presenting sponsor for the blueprint research.Nancy Huntington Stager, WIB chair, welcomed more than 100 people, including educational, political, businesses, and nonprofit leaders, who participated in discussions around these documents and how best to prepare the workforce to succeed in careers in the region.”This research demonstrates that the North Shore has recovered from the recession and is now showing growth across health care, manufacturing, construction, financial services and life sciences,” Mary Sarris, executive director of the North Shore WIB. “We are seeing some interesting trends across some smaller industries that deserve watching. These documents will help the North Shore focus education, training, and economic attention in a manner through which our economy can continue to strengthen and thrive well into the future.”Presentations were made by the authors of the two reports – for the blueprint, Dr. Steve Quimby, and for the snapshot, North Shore Alliance for Economic Development’s Gary Barrett.Quimby reviewed activity in the four critical industries, including:Health care – largest employer in the region with continued growth in employment. Jobs require enhanced skill level due to the increase in technology use for both clinical services and for administrative functions, including maintaining medical records.Manufacturing – stabilized industry showing signs of growth in aerospace, medical devices, computers and electronics, and many other sub-industries. Jobs are high-paying and at a multitude of educational levels, including vocational training, associate, bachelor, and graduate.Construction – showing a resurgence from the recession with a growing demand for highly skilled employees within all of the tradesFinancial services – where traditional jobs, such as tellers, are expanding to include many more skill needs, both technological and customer service focused.In general, the skill level of all jobs has increased across the board, requiring continual education throughout careers in order to remain competitive and take advantage of the high-paying opportunities across the region, Quimby said.Quimby reviewed the North Shore innovation sector, displaying a chart listing 25 North Shore companies each with more than 25 patents since 1976, reflecting on the need to continually innovate to remain competitive in the global marketplace.Barrett reviewed the snapshot’s scorecard for industries of interest, including the four discussed in the blueprint. In addition, from an economic development perspective, industries deserving attention include the creative economy, tourism and local food.Other speakers included Salem State President Dr. Patricia Meservey, who discussed SSU activity relating to the blueprint. Projects include enhanced interdisciplinary health care education and preparing health care professionals to contribute more successfully to the complex business of health care.Meservey also discussed the $5 million grant received by the consortium of SSU, North Shore Community College, Endicott College and Gordon College, through which state-of-the-art lab equipment is being purchased to prepare the next generation of North Shore life science leaders.Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, chief elected official for the WIB, discussed the need for quality labor market information to drive local school systems as well as focusing economic development work. As an example, Driscoll discussed the city-supported growth of Jacqueline’s Gourmet Cookies, a Salem company utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques to bring their product to more customers world