Local companies: We’re hiring but need skilled workers

Hamilton County businesses are feeling pretty good about the economy these days, with more than half saying in a recent survey that sales are growing and they’re ready to hire more workers.

The catch, however, is whether they will be able to find those workers.

The survey found 53 percent of companies were hiring or planning to hire, but 37 percent of those companies were struggling to find the skilled workers they needed. The industries experiencing the most trouble included advanced manufacturing, biological health and information services.

“That’s just a huge issue,” County Commissioner Greg Hartmann said Monday after a briefing on the survey, which was conducted by the Hamilton County Development Co., or HCDC. “That’s one of our biggest issues, workforce development.”

It’s also become one of the most challenging to overcome. Companies across the United States and around the world have complained for years that the workforce has not kept up with the technical skills needed in the modern economy, where traditional assembly-line jobs are giving way to jobs that require more training and education.

ManpowerGroup, a human resources consulting firm, found 40 percent of U.S. companies it surveyed last year had trouble finding qualified candidates. Other studies differ on the severity of the shortage, with estimates ranging from 80,000 to 600,000 open jobs nationwide, but most agree there are jobs to be had if more workers were properly trained to do them.

“This is a national and even a global problem,” said Jeff Aluotto, the assistant county administrator.

Still, county commissioners said more could be done. They said the survey represents a large cross section of Hamilton County companies, covering 277 businesses with about 37,000 total employees, so figuring out how to connect more workers to jobs is in everyone’s interests.

Closer ties between businesses and the region’s colleges and universities would be a good place to start, said Commissioner Todd Portune. Although many workforce training groups already are trying to do that, Portune said it’s clear the need is not being met.

“A staggering number of jobs are unfilled,” he said. “It seems to me there ought to be a way to target the gap. The dots haven’t been connected, but I see no reason why they can’t be.”

The county-wide survey was significantly larger than in past years, so comparing results is difficult. But the findings reflect a continuing improvement in the business climate since the recession.

Fifty-nine percent of companies said sales are growing and 53 percent said they are hiring. Just 5 percent reported declining sales and 1 percent said they are reducing staff.

“Businesses appear to be doing well,” said Dustin Montgomery, an economic development specialist with HCDC. “But they’re having trouble finding talent.”