This document summarizes a presentation on a workforce needs analysis and strategic plan for the North Carolina Southeast region. It provides an overview of the project scope, which includes analyzing target industry clusters, comparing workforce capabilities to economic needs, and developing strategies. The analysis found growing demand in several clusters including transportation/logistics, aerospace, and agribusiness. Gaps were identified between workforce skills and industry needs. Potential goals discussed include developing STEM strategies, expanding community college programs, and increasing the pipeline of skilled workers through education, recruiting, and certifications. The presentation concludes with contact information for the analysts.

1. Workforce Needs Analysis & Strategic Plan
for the NC Southeast Region Cluster Targets
P RESENTATION TO THE
T ECHNICAL A DVISORY G ROUP
BY
R EGIONAL T ECHNOLOGY S TRATEGIES
February 8, 2012

2. Project scope reminder
2
 Analyze the target clusters for the region
 Past and projected economic performance
 Opportunities in existing & emerging clusters
 Compare needs within the economy and target
clusters to workforce capabilities
 Analyze workforce & education resources
available in the region
 Determine gaps and issues

3. Project scope, cont’d
3
 Provide information and resources on the region’s
economic & workforce assets that can assist in
marketing the region
 Develop a series of strategies that respond to the
workforce cluster needs
 Integrate workforce strategies with economic
development strategies
 Build action steps that outline roles and
responsibilities

4. The region’s target clusters
4
 Transportation &  Building product
logistics materials
 Aerospace & aviation  Food processing & agri-
 Renewable & non- business
renewable energy  Metalworking
Added on analysis of knowledge jobs

5. Project scope deviation
5
 It became increasingly apparent that we needed to
spend more effort on both biotechnology &
defense sectors
 Reasons:
 Integrated relationships of target clusters and defense
and biotech
 Crosscutting training needs
 Working relationships between economic developers,
workforce/educational providers, and between defense
sector and biotech

6. Progress Made to Date
6
 Data
 Educational data
 Commuting patterns
 Educational Attainment
 Analysis of employment data
 Supply chain opportunities
 Surveys
 Education providers
 Industries
 Interviews
 Community colleges, UNC systems and campuses
 Economic developers and companies

7. Progress Made to Date, continued
7
 Cataloging best practices and determining
applicability in the Southeast
 Developing preliminary market
strategies/materials
 Developing potential goals and strategies
 Interviews
 Presentations to stakeholders
 Writing draft report

8. Overview of the Regional Employment
8
 2011 Regional Employment: 545,400
(Includes: self-employment, private, and public sector)
 2006- 2011 Employment Growth: 3%
 2011-2016 Employment Growth (proj.): 9%
(50,298 new jobs injected into the regional economy)

9. Targeted Clusters
9
Agribusiness,
Building
Food Aerospace & Transportation
Product Energy Metalworking
Processing, & Aviation & Logistics
Materials
Technology
2011
Employment 24,756 2,342 8,501 20,744 2,785 11,288
New jobs 1,032 652 1,007 2,342 57 900
Replacement
Needs 3,770 211 1,056 2,298 179 849
Total Demand
by 2016 4,802 863 2,063 4,640 236 1,749

10. Aerospace Employment Change, 2001-2016
10

11. Lead Aerospace Occupations, 2011
11
Occupation Jobs % of Jobs
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers 300 14.9%
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers 133 6.6%
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians 121 6.0%
Machinists 82 4.1%
Industrial engineers 69 3.4%
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers 66 3.3%
Computer-controlled machine tool operators, metal and plastic 59 3.0%
Team assemblers 50 2.5%
Mechanical engineers 50 2.5%
Logisticians 42 2.1%
Sheet metal workers 38 1.9%
Production, planning, and expediting clerks 33 1.6%
Business operation specialists, all other 31 1.5%
Engineering managers 30 1.5%
Aerospace engineers 24 1.2%
Industrial engineering technicians 24 1.2%

12. Agri-Business Employment Change, 2001-
2016
12

13. Lead Agri-Business Occupations, 2011
13
Occupation Jobs % of Jobs
Slaughterers and meat packers 2,550 10.2%
Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers 2,516 10.1%
Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand 775 3.1%
Packers and packagers, hand 664 2.7%
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders 643 2.6%
Helpers--Production workers 481 1.9%
Maintenance and repair workers, general 438 1.8%
First-line supervisors/managers of production and operating workers 426 1.7%
Industrial truck and tractor operators 409 1.6%
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers 408 1.6%
Butchers and meat cutters 375 1.5%
Team assemblers 332 1.3%
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment 295 1.2%
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders 285 1.1%

14. Selected Target Occupations, 2011
14
Occupation Jobs % of Jobs
Truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer 4,231 6.3%
Slaughterers and meat packers 2,550 3.8%
Electricians 1,243 1.8%
Team assemblers 1,202 1.8%
First-line supervisors/managers of production workers 1,007 1.5%
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters 940 1.4%
Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders 749 1.1%
Sheet metal workers 464 0.7%
Carpenters 437 0.6%
Machinists 370 0.6%
Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders 342 0.5%
Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers 306 0.5%
Industrial machinery mechanics 298 0.4%
Computer-controlled machine tool operators 230 0.3%
Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers 229 0.3%
Aircraft mechanics and service technicians 205 0.3%
Industrial engineers 200 0.3%
Mechanical engineers 193 0.3%
Civil engineers 159 0.2%

15. Knowledge Workforce
15
 How we defined “Knowledge Workers”
 About the knowledge workforce
 177 various occupations
 30,500 jobs in 2010
 5.5% of the total employment
 2010-2015 growth rate: 12%
 Highly Concentrated Occupations
 Nuclear technicians – 2.37
 All other social scientists and related workers – 2.25
 Chemical equipment operators and tenders – 2.04

16. Where are the Knowledge Workers?
16
 Management
 Business & financial
 Computer & mathematical
 Architecture & Engineering
 Life, Physical, & Social Science
 Production

17. Potential Goals & Strategies
17
 Develop NCSE Regional Collaborative STEM
Strategies
 Explore Development and/or Enhancement of
Specialized Community College Programs Needed to
Support NCSE Target Cluster Business & Industry
Recruitment & Growth
 Increase Advanced Manufacturing and maintenance
skills that are important to the NCSE target sector
industries and also other industries

18. Potential Goals & Strategies, cont’d
18
 Increase the pipeline of skilled workers needed by the
growing NCSE target industries
 Prepare future workers with appropriate STEM skills
 Recruit and train young adults and career changers
 Identify career opportunities for transitioning dislocated workers
 Target separating military personnel
 Explore opportunities to offer industry recognized skills
certifications to students and workers in advanced
manufacturing education and training programs
 Recommend Regional Strategies to Further Advance
Engineering and Engineering Technology Capacity in the
NCSE Region

19. Potential Goals & Strategies, cont’d
19
 Develop Education and Training Capacity to Support NC
Military Business Center Identified Workforce Needs
Critical to Economic Development Opportunities
 Explore and Develop NCSE Regional Entrepreneurial
Assistance Strategies
 Highlight Cutting-Edge Regional Assets, Initiatives, and
Workforce Development Strategies that Create Economic
Vitality for the NCSE Region

20. Regional Technology Strategies, Inc.
Chris Beacham - cbeacham@rtsinc.org
Corinne Cain - cain@rtsinc.org
Susan Seymour - saseymour@nc.rr.com
http://www.rtsinc.org