We have a labor shortage in our country that impacts us all. For business owners and executives, this is not news. Companies are living it, which means they are innovating, making do or simply missing opportunities. Yet, to continue growing, we need to take a bigger, more visionary approach to addressing our labor issues.
Regionally, companies are struggling to get white-collar positions filled, as well as trade positions. According to a recent white paper by the Brookings Institution, “the capital region employs more workers in both professional services and government than the U.S. as a whole. These industries tend to employ more college-educated workers [and] pay relatively high salaries.” This preponderance of white-collar positions contributes to the difficulty in hiring trade professionals since many are priced out the market.