Middle-skills workers provide essential services and potentially earn high salaries, but a new report addresses impending shortages.
Zack Mabel
There is a broad range of middle-skills occupations, from blue collar positions, such as electrician and carpenter, to vital healthcare professions like registered nurse to police officers and firefighters. High-paying middle-skills occupations provide salaries in which individuals can out-earn most young people with a bachelor’s degree. Median annual earnings could reach around $80,000 by mid-career.
“Missed Opportunities” compares the number of credentials currently being produced with the number of job openings projected to exist in 2032. CEW has an online tool to assist regional planners and middle-skills providers in crafting solutions to the anticipated shortage.
“Institutions should understand what the size or magnitude of that projected shortage in their local economy is, take stock of what their current credential production is and understand the constraints they are experiencing,” said Dr. Zack Mabel, research professor and director of research at CEW, co-author of the report. “Understand which [constraints] are in the control of the institution to address and which they need to broker relationships with other entities.”
Advocacy with elected officials and other policymakers to expand resources is part of addressing these shortages, Mabel added. To be effective in this, institutions must be clear about what is impeding their capacity.
Dr. Jessica Perez, director of the Center for Career & Professional Development at LaGuardia Community College in New York City, found the report’s projections informative. “The report provides us with insights and thought-provoking data to promote awareness of the importance of work-based learning opportunities for community college students, cultivating and fostering industry partnerships and to regularly review curriculum,” Perez said.
