The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) and Workforce Board Lehigh Valley (WBLV) have released a survey to gauge the perspectives of employers about the current state of the regional talent supply market.

The survey is an important information-gathering element of a new Lehigh Valley talent supply study that the two organizations are conducting jointly, using the economic development consulting firm Camoin 310 and labor market analytics group EMSI.

LVEDC and WBLV share a strong interest in talent supply issues and in helping Lehigh Valley employers with their efforts to attract and retain workers who have the skills and attributes that they need and want. This new study will refresh a research project the two organizations conducted in 2017-18, which provided the first comprehensive assessment of workforce supply and demand issues in the Lehigh Valley.

Karianne Gelinas, LVEDC Vice President of Business Development and Talent Supply

“It is an ideal time to refresh our original study,” said Karianne Gelinas, LVEDC Vice President of Business Development and Talent Supply.

“The talent market is constantly changing, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to have repercussions for employers, workers, schools, and the community,” Gelinas said. “This new study will help determine if the path we have been on is still the right path, identify new and emerging trends, and give us a fresh view of how effectively our schools, colleges, and universities are meeting the talent needs of Lehigh Valley employers.”

To be consistent with the 2017-18 research, the new talent study focuses on five target industry sectors that were chosen based on the number of people they employ in the Lehigh Valley, the growth of employment in recent years, or the potential for future employment growth.

The five target sectors are: Health Care, Advanced Manufacturing, Life Science Research and Manufacturing, Business Services, and Transportation/Warehousing/Distribution/Logistics.

Camoin 310 has emailed invitations to participate in the survey to a list of more than 2,000 business leaders in the Lehigh Valley. The survey also is being distributed through project partners, including the Manufacturers Resource Center and the Society for Human Resource Management of the Lehigh Valley.

If you did not receive an email invitation to complete the survey and would like to participate, click here to open the questionnaire.

The survey has been designed for completion within 10 minutes. Participation is voluntary. All individual responses will remain confidential. Results will be reported in the aggregate at the end of the research project.

Findings, results, and recommendations from the study will be announced at an event to be scheduled in the fall of 2021. Details about that event will be announced closer to the completion of the research project.

This assessment of the talent market is one of many initiatives undertaken since the formation of an Education and Talent Supply Council under the direction of LVEDC in 2015.

The council has hosted two Internship Summits to encourage the creation and expansion of internship opportunities between Lehigh Valley employers and colleges, with plans for a third annual summit in October 2021 well under way. LVEDC also has published an Internship Toolkit for employers and a directory of Career Development and Internship resources available at Lehigh Valley colleges and universities.

Another important initiative led by the council is the creation of Hot Career Guides, an annual compilation researched by LVEDC of the most sought-after occupations in the Lehigh Valley with accompanying information on the educational requirements and earnings potential of those jobs.

“Through the work of our Education and Talent Supply Council, the Lehigh Valley is among the leading regions of the country in understanding talent-market issues and the fostering collaboration and partnership among employers, educators, and organizations focused on economic and workforce development,” Gelinas said.