Workforce is a hot topic in 2021 with no shortage of discussions about labor force participation rates, employee retention and labor shortages. It comes as no surprise that data on these topics is in high demand, and the Alabama Workforce Council is pleased to release a set of workforce profiles that give a snapshot of key data points on the state of Alabama’s workforce and workforce ecosystem.
Under the leadership of Governor Kay Ivey, Alabama set the ambitious attainment goal of adding 500,000 credentialed Alabamians to the labor force, surpassing the national labor force participation rate and returning to pre-pandemic employment levels. Reaching these goals requires understanding the differences across Alabama’s seven workforce regions and expanding place-based strategies that serve the education and workforce needs of our communities and provide a foundation for achieving the state’s attainment goal.
Creating opportunities and empowering students for success begins with a thorough knowledge of the current workforce landscape as well as factors that impact access to education and employment. These profiles were originally developed through an Equity Leadership Acceleration Grant from the Lumina Foundation, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and Equivolve Consulting, in partnership with the Alabama Workforce Council and the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation. They have been updated to include a comprehensive statewide view as well as focus on the labor force participation rate.
The profiles provide a foundation for collaboration, shared resources and enhanced communication among stakeholders in order to achieve the state’s attainment goal. To view the statewide and regional profiles visit www.alabamaworks.com/regionalprofiles.
