In an effort to ensure the continuance of economic growth in the Middle Tennessee area, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Career Advancement Center and Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development commissioned a study to maintain a competitive edge in today’s ever-changing workforce.

The study includes information from area training providers, and business and industry within the 10-county Nashville economic area. It showcases information about the workforce in this area that will help support our local efforts in training workers, and assure that the credentials they receive are strategically aligned with the needs of local employers.

“We are excited about the results of this study as it will be a guide into our future. It is the goal of this agency to ensure we have helped fulfill the needs of local employers with talented, properly trained workers,” said Paul Haynes, executive director for Nashville Career Advancement Center.

The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness based in Arlington, Va., prepared the information that provides a look at the region’s current workforce to identify how many workers each industry sector will need by 2017, and what skills those workers will need to possess.

“In recruiting for logistics, production and call centers, we look for those with formal technical and professional training. One can be most successful at Dell having a well-rounded background with education and demonstrated strong leadership soft skills. We hire entry level, but we start building careers out of the gate,” said Renee Bradford, Nashville human resources site leader for Dell.
Highlights of the Study:

Populations & Economic Growth Trends

Proprietorships and entrepreneurs are relatively much more important to the Nashville economy than many other comparable metro areas and the U.S. as a whole. Nearly 21 percent of total regional employment is due to proprietorships, much higher than most other U.S. metro areas. Proprietors are particularly important to certain parts of the economy such as the region’s music and entertainment, health care, information technology, and other industries.

Workforce Supply Trends
• Between 2001 and 2006, the Nashville Economic Market Area grew on average by 31, 351 people annually. The bulk of that net increase occurred through migration. For instance, between 2005 and 2006, the region gained 26,293 net new migrants. Nashville is a magnet for in-migrants, particularly attractive to those locating from the nation’s largest metro areas, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Most new residents to the region typically move to Davidson County across a wide range of occupations and skill sets.

Worker Demand Trends
• Almost two-thirds of nearly 126,000 net new jobs between 2002 and 2007 were created in four “supersectors” – Wholesale & Retail Trade, Professional & Business Services, Education & Health Services, and leisure & Hospitality. The largest growth occurred in Education & Health Services, which gained 27,617 net new jobs. (See Figure 1)

• The fastest growing occupations offering above-average wages include registered nurses, post-secondary teachers, general and operations managers, chief executives, and business operations specialists. In addition, a variety of fields require managers, including construction, financial services, and administrative occupations. Computer-related occupations that are in greatest demand include systems analysts, applications engineers, system managers, network administrators, and systems engineers. There is also a substantial need for personal financial advisors, sales managers and representatives (especially for services or technical products) as well as maintenance supervisors.
• Jobs that require higher educational levels are growing at a rate that is much faster than other parts of the economy. As a result, workers will increasingly need to continue their education in order to find good employment opportunities. (See Figure 2)

The region has several vital economic development targets – headquarters operations, health care administration, music and entertainment, advanced manufacturing, and distribution and logistics, as well as other areas of interest including financial services and data centers.

Bridging the Gap in Supply & Demand
• The region could experience a shortage of about 2,300 or more workers per year during the next decade, as new job creation outpaces the number of people available to work. This suggests that the labor market could get even tighter and the region must focus its attention on ensuring that strategically important jobs are filled.
For more information visit www.NCACWorkforce.org.