FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, September 1, 2010

CONTACT  Ryan O’Doherty (410) 818-4269 ryan.odoherty@baltimorecity.gov

Baltimore Workforce Investment Board Releases Study Confirming Need for Post-Secondary Education to Fulfill Future Job Requirements Mayoral-appointed board urges quality educational programming to meet job demands

BALTIMORE, MD. (September 1, 2010)—Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore Workforce Investment Board (BWIB) Chair John Ashworth announced today the release of the Talent Development Pipeline Study, which recognizes the critical link between post-secondary education and employment requirements for Baltimore’s future jobs. “This study clearly indicates that our local workforce must be given the opportunity to develop necessary skills, through quality training and education, in order to meet the requirements that Baltimore’s jobs of the near future will demand,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “A high school diploma will not be enough. Our post-secondary educational institutions must quickly align with the needs of local businesses to ensure that we produce a well-trained and qualified workforce to fill these positions.” The BWIB Training and Post-Secondary Committee, with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, researched high demand occupations in bioscience; business services; computer, internet, and software-related data services; construction; healthcare and social assistance; and hospitality and tourism. It determined the availability and capacity of educational programming currently offered at regional post-secondary institutions, relative to these occupations. The committee also compared the number of graduates in selected professional disciplines to the number of projected job openings that will require related educational preparation by the year 2016. “The Talent Development Pipeline Study highlights the power and potential of our business and educational resources and gives data-driven recommendations directed at closing the gap between the supply of skilled workers and the local occupational demand,” said BWIB Chair John Ashworth, who is also University of Maryland Medical System’s Senior Vice President for Network Development and Associate Dean at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Baltimore’s strong business community and accomplished post-secondary institutions must work together to ensure that credentialed programs are staying current with the demands of highgrowth industries.” Included among the report’s findings are industry analyses that suggest the need to forge closer partnerships between education and training providers and the public and private sectors to create more industry-focused training initiatives. For instance, within the construction industry, labor market projections indicate that, for the year 2016, there will be 12,535 core constructionrelated job openings. Yet, in 2007-2008, construction-related post-secondary programs available in the Baltimore region graduated only 1,676 individuals. Similarly, the number of projected 2016 job openings within the healthcare industry totaled 15,485, with 2008 graduates in related healthcare post-secondary programs totaling only 7,206. The report includes recommendations calling for partnerships between education and the public and private sectors to create more internship programs, work-study programs, and hands-on learning experiences for both high school age and college age students; a stronger coordination between high schools and post-secondary programs to assure seamless career advancement; and the addition of industry-standard technical certifications and licenses as a part of degreed programs. Members of the Baltimore Workforce Investment Board will be presenting its findings and recommendations to interested stakeholders over the next several months to inform regional workforce development efforts. It is expected that the data contained within the Talent Development Pipeline Study will serve as a resource for students, job seekers, teachers, educational administrators, workforce professionals, and businesses as they seek to improve the economy of the Baltimore metropolitan area. The Baltimore Workforce Investment Board is comprised of mayoral-appointed leaders from local business and industry. In partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, it creates a public workforce engine, driving Baltimore toward sustained prosperity. For more information, visit www.baltoworkforce.com. # # # Visit our Website @ www.baltimorecity.gov