OKC Closing Skills Gap, According to LinkedIn

[king183]

There's an ongoing thread, based on a LinkedIn report, about OKC losing population (which isn't what the report said). Here is LinkedIn's December Workforce Report, which shows OKC closing the "skills gaps" faster than other cities. Here's what that means, from the report:

On the positive side, the cities where skills gaps narrowed the most over the past year are Oklahoma City, Greenville, and Jacksonville. That means these cities have improved alignment between the skills local employers are hiring for, and the skills held by their local workforces. Skills gaps can be narrowed in a variety of ways: by people moving to cities where their skills are in demand; by businesses opening up shop in cities where there’s an abundance of the skills they need; by training people to learn the skills that are in demand from employers; and by employers offering higher pay for in-demand skills. In order to narrow skills gaps, cities should seek to understand the dynamics of their own labor markets and create policies to align education and training with employer needs.

[stile99]

Well LinkedIn just can't make up their mind, can they?

Are they in the business of clickbait now?

[dcsooner]

6th ranked among cities LOSING workers

[rezman]

As someone who has been in the manufacturing/industrial category for 30+ years, I can assure you that for quite some time there has been a growing skills gap when it comes to finding quality minded welder/fitters and machine assemblers who have a lick of common sense, mechanical skills, and care about more than just a paycheck. Whether it has anything to do with Oklahoma losing people, or more to do with skills not being taught in schools anymore, combined with the rampant “me first ” mentality, dealing with with the quality of many of the the new hires that have come through our doors over the last several years has many times left me shaking my head.

[king183]

As someone who has been in the manufacturing/industrial category for 30+ years, I can assure you that for quite some time there has been a growing skills gap when it comes to finding quality minded welder/fitters and machine assemblers who have a lick of common sense, mechanical skills, and care about more than just a paycheck. Whether it has anything to do with Oklahoma losing people, or more to do with skills not being taught in schools anymore, combined with the rampant “me first ” mentality, dealing with with the quality of many of the the new hires that have come through our doors over the last several years has many times left me shaking my head.

I believe it. The state did a study (link is pdf of study) that looked into the 100 critical occupations the state will need in the future and whether we are producing the workers with the education and training needed. Unsurprisingly, we are not. There is a major gap in skills, training, and educational attainment, primarily for those jobs that require an associate's degree or equal level credential.

[Bunty]

Maybe the local Career Techs are not providing the training needed for manufacturing and other industries. If not, they should. Career Tech is another part of state education that shouldn't be subject to funding cuts.

[ChrisHayes]

Out of the career tech schools I've looked at, most have manufacture programs. The problem is getting people to take them. You can't force people to take a program because jobs are available. We still have the problem in the country that blue collar skilled trades are frowned upon by younger people. Personally, I love working in the mechanic field, doing home improvement projects, etc. But I was also born in 1980, before resentment towards blue collar work really took hold. Now, unless you work in the medical field or in an office, you're almost frowned up. Getting rid of the perception that you need to a bachelors or masters degree to succeed is crucial.

[Urbanized]

6th ranked among cities LOSING workers

Not losing workers, or population. The point of original story was net number of people who use LinkedIn who changed their location from OKC. Still not clear if that meant moving completely out of market - for instance moving city to suburbs - but "people who use LinkedIn" is by no means a complete cross-section of workers in a market. For one thing, certain industries are much more heavily represented, so a dip in one sector can have outsized influence. Also, I'm pretty sure census data will show that Tulsa proper has been flat or actually lost population while OKC has had modest gains over the same period. Why didn't THAT make the story (the referenced story was reported in Tulsa)?

[jn1780]

Out of the career tech schools I've looked at, most have manufacture programs. The problem is getting people to take them. You can't force people to take a program because jobs are available. We still have the problem in the country that blue collar skilled trades are frowned upon by younger people. Personally, I love working in the mechanic field, doing home improvement projects, etc. But I was also born in 1980, before resentment towards blue collar work really took hold. Now, unless you work in the medical field or in an office, you're almost frowned up. Getting rid of the perception that you need to a bachelors or masters degree to succeed is crucial.

That's true. A lot of the blue collar workers are just as intelligent if not more so than the average holder of a bachelor degree. I'm sure being a electrician, HVAC worker, or plumber is a lot less stressful than being an office worker with a bachelors and having to deal with office politics. Pay is often better in several cases.

[Rover]

That's true. A lot of the blue collar workers are just as intelligent if not more so than the average holder of a bachelor degree. I'm sure being a electrician, HVAC worker, or plumber is a lot less stressful than being an office worker with a bachelors and having to deal with office politics. Pay is often better in several cases.

Tell a HVAC worker in August when it is 105 out and their client's HVAC system is down that it is a less stressful job.

[jn1780]

Tell a HVAC worker in August when it is 105 out and their client's HVAC system is down that it is a less stressful job.

Yeah,stress comes in different forms. A HVAC worker may have a rough summer, but I bet they would absolutely hate it if you tied them to a desk.

[traxx]

The OKC Skills Gap is closing? Too bad, they had decent clothes at an affordable price.