Page 3 - Skills-Gap-Report-2015

This Skills Gap Report is the result of an investigation by the Workforce Needs Committee of the Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! Strategic Board. In its investigation, the committee reviewed multiple national studies and a wide variety of national, state and regional labor market data. It weighed this information in light of its direct interaction with employers and staffing agencies who took part in committee meetings. It also relied heavily on intelligence provided by the Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! Business Service Team. That team has provided assistance to our Region’s employers on more than 20,000 job openings in the past three years.
This report focuses on gaps in skills for specific occupations. During the development of the report, it became apparent that a major concern of employers was the lack of soft skills (also known as essential work skills or fundamental work skills) that tend to overlap many occupations and industries. The gap in soft skills is not addressed in this report.
During the development of this report,
The Workforce Needs Committee consisted of:
Vaughn Begick, Bay County Commissioner Michael Beyer, Merrill Technologies
Pastor Larry Camel, Parishioners on Patrol Michael Colby, First State Bank
Frederick Ford, Community Member Jennifer Hayes, Dow Chemical
Valerie Hoffman, Underground Railroad Ryan Howell, Dow Corning
Jim Geisler, Midland County Commissioner Steve Jonas, Saginaw Future
Terry King, Action Leaders
Harry Leaver, Saginaw Valley State University James Leigeb, Midland County Commissioner (Committee Co-Chair)
Joseph Powe, Saginaw Intermediate School District Board Member (Committee Co-Chair)
Virginia Przygocki, Delta College
Matt Shields, State of Michigan Workforce
Development Agency
Chuck Stack, Saginaw County Commissioner
Chris Taylor, Laborers International Union of North America Jim Theisen, Saginaw County Commissioner
Chris Vlk, Dobson Industrial
Robert Woods, Jr., Saginaw County Commissioner
Dan Wortman, Duclos Insurance
Now – this is a call to action for us all!
Thomas J. Begin
Consumers Energy Strategic Board Co-Chair
Ed Oberski
Donald J. Tilley
Bay County Commissioner Strategic Board Co-Chair
WHEN?
Chief Executive Officer
Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!