Senior Community Service Employment Program

(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))

Opportunities in Maryland’s Healthcare Economy

Maryland has emerged as an international leader in healthcare, support services, and medical innovation.  MD SCSEP participants increasingly are seeking training assistance that will help them qualify for healthcare industry-related jobs; therefore, the program will be intensely focused on cultivating and expanding training partnerships throughout the entire service area. Maryland has about 70 hospitals.

Table: Maryland Hospitals within the MD Labor SCSEP Service Area

https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/hospital.html#hospital

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been ranked as one of the nation's top medical institutions for more than two decades. Johns Hopkins Institute, headquartered in Baltimore City, is one of the state’s largest private employers; in FY10 the health care system employed 40,000 people worldwide. The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), also located in Baltimore, provides a full range of healthcare services to the Mid-Atlantic Region.  The flagship academic medical center for the state, UMMC is comprised of 13 hospitals that make up the University of Maryland Medical System.  The University of Maryland Medical System employs 9,173 people.  Currently, some of the MD SCSEP participants serve in the food service department at UMMC. The goal is to expand the partnership with UMMC and triple the number of training opportunities and seek and secure other training opportunities throughout various departments within UMMC.  

The table below further illustrates the projected job development (and need for skilled workers) in healthcare industry occupations.

Table: Occupations in the Healthcare Sector with the Largest Anticipated Employment Changes

Source: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/lmi/iandoproj/maryland.shtml  

Employment estimates by occupation are specific to the Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector industries.  

Other Employment Opportunities in Maryland

Almost all of the occupations in Maryland that are projected to grow require either specialized long term training, such as a secondary or postsecondary academic certificate or Bachelor’s degree,  or short-term OJT.  MD SCSEP anticipates that as more high-skilled baby boomers age in the state, the program will experience the need to develop higher-level training assignments to attract and place older adults with college degrees who may also be experiencing poverty. However, the majority of current participants have no college degree and are therefore prime candidates for training opportunities that occur on the job or have shorter-term qualifying certification periods. The occupations that require short-term OJT include food preparation and service related occupations, transportation and material moving occupations, construction and extraction occupations, personal care and service occupations, and building, and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations.  

Occupations in the food service industry such as hosting, wait staff, food prep workers, and cooks require limited education and generally compensation tends to be on the lower end of the wage spectrum. The Maryland General Assembly has increased minimum wage above the federal level to $ 10.10 per hour, and it is slated to increase yearly until it reaches $ 11.00 per hour effective July 1, 2020. (This minimum wage increase excludes certain food service occupations.)  Under MD SCSEP, several participants are currently training at senior centers, hospital cafeterias, and restaurants as food preparers, food handlers, and cooks, roles that traditionally are paid at least minimum wage. MD SCSEP plans to enroll eligible participants in food handlers’ certification programs, which offer basic food safety courses. The completion of certification programs strengthens the participants’ ability to secure and maintain unsubsidized employment.   

Maryland’s economic activity is strongly concentrated in the tertiary, or service, sector, and this sector is a critical partner in helping workers gain unsubsidized employment. One major tertiary service activity is transportation, centered on the Port of Baltimore and its related rail and trucking access.  As a result of its proximity to the Port of Baltimore, the Chesapeake Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, the nation’s capital, and the major distribution routes along the East Coast, Maryland’s transportation infrastructure, including its international airport hub as well as its freight rail system, is a key to the region’s economic vitality and quality of life.  

The transportation and material moving industry is also projected to be one of the fastest growing industries in Maryland. In this sector, the biggest job opportunities will be in warehousing and storage, transit, and ground passenger carriage. Freight and material movers, hand packers, motor vehicle operators, truck drivers, and bus drivers are just some of the opportunities that will be created by anticipated growth in these industries. For participants who are interested in pursuing these occupations and demonstrate commitment to skills training, MD SCSEP in certain circumstances, will help them acquire a valid training and/or certifications. This could include assistance with obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), learner’s permit, or paid enrollment into a commercial driver’s education class. MD SCSEP makes every effort to assess and extend paid training opportunities according to funding availability every program year. Another service area that is anticipated to grow is personal care and hygiene. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists is projected to grow ten percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. The need for barbers will stem primarily from an increasing population, which will lead to greater demand for basic hair care services. Overall job opportunities for personal care and service are expected to grow. A large number of job openings will stem from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave the occupation for other reasons.

Where appropriate, MD SCSEP will make an effort to ensure participants interested in pursuing these occupations can train at nursing home facilities. These training locations are ideal because patients in the long term care facilities rely on personal hygiene service providers to meet patients’ personal needs. MD SCSEP may also be able to assist participants in training for their barber or cosmetology license. Once certified, these participants can seek unsubsidized employment with long term care facilities, such as rehabilitative facilities, nursing home facilities, and private assisted living homes.

Current and Projected Employment Opportunities in the State of Maryland

During the most recent economic downturn Maryland lost more than 8,000 businesses, and Maryland’s unemployment nearly doubled.  Maryland is committed to restoring its economy and creating jobs.  In 2018, Maryland has created 29,400 jobs from January 2018 to December 2018 (seasonally adjusted). For a glance of Maryland’s current employment opportunities see the chart below:

Table: Maryland Economy at a Glance

Source: http://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/maryland.htm#tab-1

MD SCSEP anticipates that it will be able to continue to assist older workers in gaining new skills and employment opportunities in line with the economic projections for the state. The program will utilize industry and occupational growth information to recruit new host agencies and develop new training partnerships; better allocate and prioritize the use of training funds across a broad spectrum of participant training needs; and to recruit effective employment partners in public and private industries and organizations.