Workforce Developments :: February 2008
In This Issue..
- Indiana unemployment rate lowest in Midwest
- New internship opportunity for Career and Technical Education teachers
- More training funds on the way for Visteon workers in Bedford
- Nurses in Demand: Hot Jobs by Indiana Region
- New Grant-Contract Management Director named for Eastern Indiana Regional Workforce Board
About this Newsletter
Welcome to the latest issue of Workforce Developments, a monthly e-mail newsletter from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
This newsletter is designed to keep Indiana policy and opinion makers and other officials up to date on activities taking place in workforce development across the state. Please forward it to others you believe might find the content useful.
Indiana unemployment rate lowest in Midwest
Indiana's unemployment rate is the lowest in the six-state Midwest region for the eighth consecutive month, according to the latest employment report released last month.
The state's unemployment rate decreased from 4.7 percent in November to 4.6 percent in December, and is now four-tenths of a percentage point below the national rate, which is at 5.0 percent.
The December rates reported for the six-state Midwest region were Illinois at 5.5 percent, Kentucky at 5.7 percent, Michigan at 7.6 percent, Ohio at 6.0 percent and Wisconsin at 5.0 percent. Of the six states in the region, only Indiana and Wisconsin posted reductions in their monthly rates.
Governor Mitch Daniels noted that Indiana is no more immune to a national downturn than any other state. "But if a slowdown comes, we'll enter it in a much stronger position than other states. Indiana's uniquely strong performance is a tribute to Hoosier workers and all those who have helped build one of the best environments for new jobs," said Daniels.
For the full story, go here.
New internship opportunity for Career and Technical Education teachers
The state's Department of Workforce Development is partnering with Indiana INTERNnet to offer a new internship program for teachers from career and technical education designed to boost their understanding of how the business world operates.
The four week internship, slated for the summer of 2008, is called Future Workforce Connections (FWC) program. Its goals are two-fold: one, the teachers will help the participating businesses with important projects or activities. Secondly, the teachers will gain valuable on-site business experience that will strengthen their understanding of how the real world operates. This will ideally help them gain valuable insight and make them better teachers.
Two Career and Technical Education teachers will be selected from each of the state's eleven economic growth regions. DWD will work directly with area Career and Technical Education directors around the state to identify a pool of candidates from which to choose this year's interns.
The 22 Educator interns ultimately selected will work with employers to complete need-based, project work. In turn, business expectations include exposing educators to current business practices and procedures, working with teachers to apply work-site experiences to the classroom, and developing action plans for the business to further impact and be directly involved with students following the internship. Businesses in the science, technology, engineering and math related fields are being sought.
Businesses interested in participating in the Future Workforce connection program should email Pam Norman or call (317) 264-6862.
More training funds on the way for Visteon workers in Bedford
The state of Indiana will provide $500,000 to the South Central Region 8 Workforce Board to fund a variety of employment and training services to dislocated workers at the Visteon Systems LLC facility in Bedford, the Department of Workforce Development announced last month.
The workers will receive services through a Tier II grant under the federal Workforce Investment Act, which will supplement efforts already underway to assist Visteon workers with short- and long-term employment and training services.
"We recognize that the next several months will be difficult ones for the employees at Visteon," said Lt. Governor Becky Skillman. "We need to do everything we can to provide the appropriate services to these workers to help them get back on their feet and into meaningful employment," said Skillman.
Nurses in Demand: Hot Jobs by Indiana Region
Registered nurse is the hottest job throughout Indiana, according to the latest data and projections from DWD. Across the state, the registered nursing occupation is expected to grow nearly 30 percent by 2014 (from 2004 levels). This means the addition of 15,400 workers in a field where the statewide median wage was $51,796 in 2006.
In fact, registered nurses (RNs) are in demand in every corner of the state, ranking either first or second in all 11 economic growth regions according to the department's regional "Hoosier Hot Jobs." See table below
| Regional Demand for Registered Nurses, 2004 to 2014 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EGR |
2004 Jobs |
2014 Projection |
Total Growth |
Percent Growth |
2006 Median Wage |
Hot Job Rank |
| Region 1 |
7,300 |
9,060 |
1,760 |
24.1% |
$54,375 |
1 |
| Region 2 |
4,600 |
5,880 |
1,280 |
27.7% |
$48,839 |
1 |
| Region 3 |
5,720 |
7,210 |
1,490 |
25.9% |
$48,159 |
1 |
| Region 4 |
2,940 |
3,630 |
690 |
23.5% |
$47,844 |
2 |
| Region 5 |
17,550 |
22,570 |
5,020 |
28.6% |
$54,934 |
1 |
| Region 6 |
2,480 |
3,110 |
630 |
25.4% |
$51,314 |
2 |
| Region 7 |
1,430 |
1,750 |
320 |
22.7% |
$48,265 |
2 |
| Region 8 |
1,540 |
2,010 |
470 |
30.6% |
$47,570 |
2 |
| Region 9 |
1,890 |
2,500 |
610 |
32.4% |
$52,515 |
1 |
| Region 10 |
1,390 |
1,800 |
410 |
29.2% |
$53,162 |
1 |
| Region 11 |
4,010 |
5,180 |
1,170 |
29.1% |
$47,445 |
1 |
What Makes a Job Hot? - These rankings are based on the projected rate of employment growth, the total number of job openings and average wages. Jobs qualifying as a hot job have both high job growth factors based on DWD's 2004-2014 occupational projections, as well as high wages according to data from the Occupational Employment Statistics survey of employers.
For the full story, go here.
New Grant-Contract Management Director named for Eastern Indiana Regional Workforce Board
Valerie Alexander has been named Grant-Contract Management Director for the Eastern Indiana Regional Workforce Board.
"Valerie brings a world of knowledge and expertise to the organization, "said Barbara Street, CEO of Alliance for Strategic Growth. In her past positions, Alexander worked with Charles Schwab for 8 years including time as branch manager in Augusta, GA. She holds both a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and MBA from Ball State University.
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