Local Jobs

POSTED: Saturday, May. 02, 2009

Training, skills vital in today's job market

Training can be a strategic way to stay relevant in a tight job market - whether you are just out of high school, working in a dying field, recently laid off or in need of updated skills.

The need for training is greater than ever, said Terry Cox, workforce education director at Whatcom Community College.

"We're in a different place in history," she said. "Jobs have become more technical. Jobs that only needed a high school education 20 years ago now need middle skills."

A 2006 report by the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board projected there will be significant demand from employers for midlevel graduates - those who have less education than a four-year bachelor's degree but more than a high school diploma -through 2012. It expected about 5,000 of those jobs would be unfilled annually because of a shortage of properly skilled workers.

While the economy has changed drastically since that report, skilled employees are still needed. They are at a premium during economic downturns, said Gary Smith, regional manager for WorkSource Northwest.

"Local employers need entry-level employees with skills, as well as employees who continue updating skills," he said. "Businesses need to be profitable and productive, and they need skilled employees to do that."

Both WCC and Bellingham Technical College had enrollment increase in the fall, as the economy soured and people sought more job options. WorkSource also is seeing a higher-than-normal volume of clients.

INCREASED PAY, BETTER OPPORTUNITIES

The economy seems bleak now, but there could be a silver lining for those considering training. Fields such as health services, advanced manufacturing, process technology, marine manufacturing and electro-mechanical technology - all of which require some education and training but less than a four-year bachelor's degree - are in demand locally, Smith said.

"Potential workers should keep in mind that many of these fields are experiencing an aging workforce that needs to be replaced," he said. "The pipeline of opportunity is there, and skilled craftsmen earn very good wages."

Kate Hannah, 45, of Ferndale, used training to increase her pay and give her an opportunity to advance in her field. After working for 15 years as a carpenter and home inspector, she realized she was getting passed over for managerial positions by new graduates with degrees.

"I realized if I didn't do something, I was going to stay in one spot for the rest of my days," Hannah said.

She decided to enter BTC's process technology program because the field was in high demand and offered good wages. Process technology includes skills important in the oil refinery, pharmaceutical, water, sewer and food production industries. Anvil Corp., an engineering and design firm, hired her as a junior pipe designer a month after she graduated.

"My advice to people would be to (get training) sooner rather than later," she said. "You can't go wrong in this economy with school. I'd be stuck making half of what I make now if I hadn't done this."

KNOW YOUR SKILLS

Some workers who get laid off or find their fields are dying may be able to translate their skills to new occupations. In many cases, such a switch may require just a skills upgrade, such as a computer application class, Cox said.

But if the skills are not transferable, it's a good idea to get into a worker retraining program, said Meagan Bryson, director of career services at BTC. Many people qualify for financial aid for new skills training.

In either case, starting with a career center is a good way to determine the next step.

Or try the state's online Workforce Explorer program, workforceexplorer.com, which offers tests to help determine your interest areas and corresponding job recommendations. It also has a search for high-demand occupations by county and information on their average wages and training program information.

CONTINUE TO LEARN

In the present economy, those with jobs should think about how to increase their value to an organization.

"The more value they provide, the more job security they have," Smith said.

Both BTC and WCC offer continuing education programs. Cox said many of these are appropriate to take as stand-alone classes, such as a foreign language. Other options include short-term, 15-to-30-credit training endorsements, such as payroll or accounting support, which can feed into longer certificates and degrees if the student so desires. The college also offers noncredit community education classes such as sustainable building advisory and a "Stepping up to Manager" class.

Ryan Oord, co-owner of NW Technology in Ferndale, said it's important that his network integration company's eight employees continue their education by updating certifications regularly.

"It's very important, especially in the technology sector where so much changes everyday, where you're providing those services to people and they have the expectation that you know the latest in the business," he said.

Oord sometimes covers the entire cost of training and certificate programs for his employees, depending on the value to his company. Some employees who have not had the initiative to update skills no longer work for him, he said.

TRAINING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

High school graduates need to make sure they have good basic math, science and communication skills to do well in high-wage, high-demand fields such as technology and manufacturing, Bryson said.

Then pick an area you're interested in and move forward with it, Cox said. Career centers at WCC, BTC and WorkSource that are free and open to everyone are good places to start determining what field you want to go into.

"It doesn't have to be, and isn't likely to be, what you will do for the rest of your life," she said. "I see people who end up getting stymied by not making a choice."

Cox said students sometimes make the mistake of going into an education program without evaluating whether it will offer them real job skills or result in a desired wage. Because education and training programs can be pricey, Cox encourages students to enter a program that will be a good return on their investment.

Smith recommends considering an apprenticeship. In this situation, an apprentice works under a journeyman while also taking classes at a community or technical college. The apprentice usually goes through a graduated process of on-the-job training, with progressive wage increase until he or she has met the requirements to become a journeyman.

Apprenticeships are usually accessed through an industry and often can be found through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

In addition to completing a degree or certificate program, Oord recommends getting industry-recognized certifications outside of school. For example, students going into the technology sector can receive Microsoft-specific certifications for engineering, programming and designing that are offered through the company and usually require an exam administered at a testing site.

"If someone's gone through one of those, that means something to me," he said.