TRANSCRIPT

CAMW! TOPIC: Back-to-school is something everyone should be thinking about right now

QUESTION: What is the importance of postsecondary education for job seekers in light of COVID-19?
ANSWER: This year, our world is different than anything we were expecting, and that applies to education and the workforce as well. Back to school has a different meaning this year than it ever has. It’s a new reality we weren’t fully prepared for, similar to how our workforce wasn’t prepared for an almost recession-like economy only a decade after the Great Recession. We can look to recent data from the Great Recession to gain an understanding of how our economy may react following the COVID-19 pandemic. And the data tells us education — particularly postsecondary — will be necessary for recovery. The divide between Americans who have a postsecondary education and Americans who don’t is staggering. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, nearly all the jobs created in the Great Recession recovery went to workers with at least some postsecondary education. Workers with a high school diploma or less lost 5.6 million jobs in the recession and only took 500,000 of the new jobs during the recovery. Getting “back-to-school” may be important for job seekers as our economy changes due to COVID-19.

QUESTION: How is that related to the expected job growth in our region?
ANSWER: According to localized data from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget’s 2020 Workforce Analysis Reports, jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree or more are often high-wage and have the highest projected growth rates. Those careers with the highest growth in our region include financial managers, registered nurses and accountants. To that same end, there are several jobs in our region that are in high demand — and are high-wage — that typically require an associate degree, long-term training or an apprenticeship. These occupations include carpenters, dental hygienists, electricians or machinists.

QUESTION: How can people learn more about skilled trades and receiving training?
ANSWER: The Going Pro tool, which highlights skilled trades jobs in Michigan, is a great place to start. With everything from construction to health care to information technology, there is a broad variety of jobs and industries to explore. For those who are unemployed or simply looking to make a change during this time of uncertainty, now may be the time to explore a new career — but not without doing some research first. We recommend starting with the Pathfinder tool, which shows the top 50 hot careers and professional trades. The tool will also

help you discover what schools offer the programs you are interested in. Most importantly, Pathfinder will show you job projections and wages so you can make a well-informed decision that’ll have a positive impact on your life for years to come.

Pursuing a degree or professional certificate doesn’t guarantee you employment for the rest of your life. But, the numbers show that those with postsecondary education — whether a professional certificate, training program or a bachelor’s degree — will be better prepared and equipped with the tools to survive economic uncertainty. If people are ready to find a new career and would like assistance doing so, they can reach out to the CAMW! team at 517-492-5536 or email at LansingGreeter@camw.net and we’ll connect people with the right virtual program.