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a. 3. Discuss Current and Projected Employment Opportunities in the State (such as by Providing Information Available Under §15 of the Wagner-peyser Act (29 U.s.c. 491-2) by Occupation), and the Types of Skills Possessed by Eligible Individuals. (20 Cfr 641.325(c))

Current Narrative:

The Alabama Department of Industrial Relations LMI Division has provided a “New Hires by Industry” report which lists the top ten industries employing workers 55 and older in Alabama.

The top ten industries are the following: • Administrative and Support Services • Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services • Ambulatory Health Care Service • Food Services • Specialty Trade Contractors • Truck Transportation • Nursing and Residential Care Facilities • General Merchandise Stores • Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers • Construction

Alabama has analyzed the state’s occupations projections. We identified those occupations providing significant employment opportunities for SCSEP participants due to growth or high turnover. In identifying these occupations, ADSS considered the profiles of the SCSEP participants being served, including their employment history, educational level, and work skills as well as the particular challenges of those most-in-need. Consequently, Alabama concentrated on occupations requiring short-term or moderate-term on-the-job-training.

Overall, Alabama’s workforce will increase an annual average growth of 1.35 percent, which is slightly higher than the nation’s 1.23 percent projected growth. Many of the occupational titles appropriate for SCSEP participants are in growing industries. For example, healthcare occupations will continue to grow at a fast pace due to the aging of the state’s population. Healthcare and social assistance employment will continue to grow over the next decade. ADSS plans to partner regionally with local community colleges to create training programs for mature workers that will provide the skills necessary to obtain employment in the health care field, where huge manpower shortages already exist.

Other industries exhibiting significant growth are the office and administrative support occupations, food services, and retail.

State Grantee will work collaboratively to address issues ensuring host agency assignments are truly providing skills training to meet the needs of both participants and employers. Sub-grantees will continue to utilize the Individual Employment Plan (IEP), in partnership with the participant and host agency supervisor, ensuring community service employment assignments are providing skills training that meet the needs of the participant and host agency. Sub-grantees will monitor participants at least once every six months at their community service employment assignments. During those visits, sub-grantee staff will review and update the IEP with both the participant and host agency supervisor.

Sub-grantees will continue to monitor the training to ensure participants will be prepared for unsubsidized employment through the acquisition of transferable skills in demand by local employers. In addition, where applicable, sub-grantees, in partnership with participants, will develop IEPs that combine community service employment with other permissible training (e.g., classroom training or on- the- job experience (OJE) in the private for-profit sector) as funding permits.

While realizing some seniors may not be best suited for many of the manufacturing and construction jobs in the state, there will be other opportunities for mature workers to “back fill” jobs in industries showing significant growth. ADSS plans to partner regionally with local community colleges to create training programs for mature workers that will provide the skills necessary to obtain employment in the health care field, where huge manpower shortages already exist.

Alabama’s continued economic growth cannot be realized without including mature workers in workforce planning and training efforts.