Fast-forward 20 years to the Hopkins County Labor Market (which includes the five contiguous counties plus Henderson – so 228,000 population). This is what we commonly refer to as our labor shed. I received yesterday the newest numbers from JobsEQ, a service purchased by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and available to economic development organizations like ours. I zeroed in on the Labor Participation Rate, which is slightly less than 55% of the labor force age (18-64) population in this labor shed. This is five points lower than Kentucky as a whole, and eight points lower than the 63% national average.
We have too many spectators and not enough players.
Blame it on those lazy millennials they say. Okay, the participation rate for people 25-54 years of age is 73%. That blows the theory on that. Not so fast, though, the 25-54 age labor shed rate is still five points lower than Kentucky as a whole and NINE points lower than the national average.
Still too many spectators.
There are no jobs they say. On the contrary, over the last five years, Transportation and Warehousing jobs grew 2%, Professional and Technical Services grew 1%, and Manufacturing and Construction were flat, but recent announcements here and in Henderson County as well as existing industry growth will bump both of those percentages by 2% next year. In Hopkins County alone, four industrial employers collectively grew over 1,000 jobs in the last three years. Yes, mining did drop double digits over the last five years, but only 845 actual miners are working in the entire seven county labor shed. Still not enough players.
The pay rates are too low they say. Manufacturing and Professional/Technical Service average pay rates are $27 per hour and Transportation/Warehousing and Construction rates are $26 average pay in the labor shed. These are very solid living wages and there are hundreds of jobs available in these sectors (see hopkinscokyjobs.com) Employers are willing to train spectators and make them players. In addition, almost anyone can get a Work Ready scholarship at MCC and earn an in-demand degree.
I know many people ARE in the game and doing their best, but we MUST get the spectators off the bench and into the game. Winning or losing our local economy depends on it. We won’t be a Nashville, but at least we could be the best Hopkins County we can be.
