Lately I've discussed how the local economy has transformed from production based on the land and waters around us to one based primarily on knowledge. This change has occurred in fairly short order and the pace of change seems to be accelerating. The County is certainly not alone here. The same kinds of changes are occurring elsewhere. But our uniqueness in geography, population, and culture helps tell a somewhat different story than what's evident in regional, state, and national trends.

I've also made reference to the challenges of equipping an increasingly technical workforce. More specifically, how the lag between changing demand for skilled labor in emerging fields and the ability to supply this talent needs to shorten as the economy continues to shift at an ever faster pace. We hear regularly that a technical workforce is needed in the future. Locally, we need that workforce now, yesterday, and every day. Local educational programs produce some of this supply but not near enough to satisfy demand from employers, particularly from the Navy bases and their support contractor community.

Having worked in higher education, I know first-hand how difficult it is to adapt curriculum to meet changing workforce demands. It’s very hard to plan for these changes, especially within a traditional semester-driven rhythm. But this is indeed what is done. To be more effective it needs to be done more rapidly and regularly. There will come a time when this process will become almost continuous.

According to the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) some 50,000 jobs need to be filled in Southern Maryland between 2004 and 2014 (see https://mwe.dllr.state.md.us and click on "Labor Market Information" button, follow links to Southern Maryland WIA). It will be hard enough supplying this large quantity of workers. Furthermore, a much greater share of these jobs will require college degrees than ever before. Historically the region trails the state and nation in share of population with college degrees.
In the 10-year DLLR projection three major employment categories requiring Bachelor degrees are Business, Management & Finance; Teaching & Education; and Computers, Engineering & Science. Of these the last category is projected to be the largest. For jobs requiring Post-secondary or Associate degrees, more than two-thirds are captured in two broad categories: Nursing & Health Care; and Technical Specialist (catch-all for Computer, Aviation, Mechanical, Electronics, Technician & Specialist).

Considering this is the picture for Southern Maryland as a whole, the situation here in St. Mary’s will be even more acute in the technical fields with strong and sustained aviation program growth at Pax River and Webster Field over this same timeframe. Leadership from the base is projecting the need for up to 300-400 engineers each year for the next 3 or 4 years to handle the expected workload.

So as we look forward there must be community-wide recognition and commitment to equipping the local workforce with the right knowledge and skills. This isn’t solely the job of local educational institutions.

Employers play a huge role in many ways. They articulate workforce needs, offer tuition assistance and flexible scheduling to allow employees to complete coursework, provide expertise in program advisory councils or as faculty members, and fund scholarships and endowments. Employers also provide internship or cooperative education experiences which sometimes lead to permanent placement. Most importantly, employers encourage their employees – present and future – to become students who engage and persist in lifelong learning opportunities. This is vital in addressing the continuous challenges in meeting future workforce needs.