News

GFDA Issues Great Falls MSA Labor Supply Report

Available workers include 1,251 underemployed,
1,566 unemployed, and 13,318 adults out of the workforce

The Great Falls, Montana MSA (Cascade County) has an underutilized labor supply of 16,134 individuals, according to a report issued today by the Great Falls Development Authority (GFDA).

The Labor Supply Report of Great Falls Montana MSA http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K6JTm3M7CaDHMxzCSQsQMwrT97jRO929dCV_zBBXk4XtF8ujADJv2DHFPuMECFYvDv1ePbjhgrfJhWSkvjRWNmrgGPuZUeAaLBGAPD4hEZiFERGHJv4LcTcnGp_VhydhDtqlq3I67lvmE-4uuMVNhskeVHnll85Mf1-cDaG485z6yVgrWckECabhO99mQBcIecN591SynAD_FP7WKKcUlI1wM6o7quLCP2HCfiuT00_vZFcrzcBoYd5tsn49IChy&c=50CrHwGW14XGwuhMHA9lfAQ8dGD7CwpRQYLn9bkVqUmTzNkJhLEqAA==&ch=DXD4ZXzVHIE2jJCpe7fc2RbkPv8kEhJtYOBIFvrCBI6u3VCsG82JmA== is based on 502 completed household surveys conducted in May and June. Chmura Economics & Analytics prepared the report. Funding was provided by the City of Great Falls using Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

GFDA will use the labor supply data in our work with businesses to create new, higher-wage career opportunities, particularly for low- and moderate-income community residents. Similar surveys GFDA commissioned in 2003 and 2009 proved to be effective in helping win job-creating investments from companies such as Centene and Blue Cross Blue Shield. We use household surveys to fill gaps in data of what is collected from available public and private sources.

The Labor Supply Report compliments a Labor Demand Certification http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K6JTm3M7CaDHMxzCSQsQMwrT97jRO929dCV_zBBXk4XtF8ujADJv2DHFPuMECFYvX8IaEXrrGTi9GlkmR_Cf9YYi6aX-08E1wZHzdlVv0DV_KpxBt3TwCAzhYrOnqWf86RNuzch4nan24l2GbZurV0kgQK0PFpyKiaMkloGz-iq429kF6s1oVvMiIE5hcRDg_qJrSNW_n2G_zgFtCtUdN-Lo1O_THGnkF9naqTXeIo3hzku5IwTfJykWMgZO_D62&c=50CrHwGW14XGwuhMHA9lfAQ8dGD7CwpRQYLn9bkVqUmTzNkJhLEqAA==&ch=DXD4ZXzVHIE2jJCpe7fc2RbkPv8kEhJtYOBIFvrCBI6u3VCsG82JmA== that GFDA commissioned in 2015. The two reports provide useful information for existing employers to use to develop effective strategies for retaining and attracting skilled employees.

The Labor Supply Survey documents that Great Falls offers a mature, experienced, and skilled workforce. On average, employed workers have 23.6 years of experience and the unemployed have 18.4 years of work experience.

The Great Falls region is highly educated, with over 60% of the region’s labor force attaining post-secondary education.

Over 1,200 workers in the Great Falls MSA currently in part-time jobs are willing and able to work full-time jobs.

Underutilized workers in the region have a wide variety of valuable workforce skills and experience.

On average, employed workers in the Great Falls region have been working in their current occupation for over 13 years, compared with less than 5 years nationally.

Nearly one-quarter of currently employed workers consider themselves overqualified for their current job.

One-third of currently employed workers in the region are interested in changing jobs, most commonly citing an increase in pay as their primary reason.

"We will immediately put this report to work with companies considering creating new higher-wage career opportunities in the Great Falls region," stated Brett Doney, President & CEO of GFDA. "We have businesses who have been waiting for this data to make decisions on where to start and expand. We will also use the data to target our economic development priorities to generate more successes, and work with our education, workforce training and human resource partners to address gaps identified in the report. Thank you to the City of Great Falls for funding the survey!"

In addition to the household survey, GFDA subscribes to Chmura’s powerful JobsEQ online labor and economics data system. We use these tools to help entrepreneurs, companies of all sizes and industries, and real estate developers to make informed decisions to drive business investment and job creation in our market.

Contact us today to learn more about the wide variety of tools we can put to work to help you succeed, [email protected].

Vision
Hungry to Grow the Great Falls region

Mission
Grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy.
Create higher wage career opportunities.
Improve market competitiveness.

The first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council.

GFDA is a certified Community Development Financial Institution and a 501(c)3 charitable organization. High Plains Financial is a certified Community Development Corporation that offers SBA 504 loans statewide. GFDA and High Plains Financial are Equal Opportunity Lenders.

GFDA is proud to host a Montana Small Business Development Center
and a Montana Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

For more info, click to our website. http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001K6JTm3M7CaDHMxzCSQsQMwrT97jRO929dCV_zBBXk4XtF8ujADJv2HIP15ttK2g8vykHXEAu39LwUdJ0bRVd9cp3FGWlcwczLef3pRwANKa6L2I9_AVHVVzttoT0PftwNUFJRJE5a_FNEyAmvzaBl9Zx929QbWjMMoG9KRsiBa6wQt0EwnG4pg==&c=50CrHwGW14XGwuhMHA9lfAQ8dGD7CwpRQYLn9bkVqUmTzNkJhLEqAA==&ch=DXD4ZXzVHIE2jJCpe7fc2RbkPv8kEhJtYOBIFvrCBI6u3VCsG82JmA==

Great Falls Development Authority, Inc., 300 Central Avenue, Suite 406, Great Falls, MT 59401, Mailing Address: PO Box 949, Great Falls, MT 59403

News Catrgory Sponspor:


Great Falls trade area. Competitive for food, ag, bioprocessing, energy, and support. Closest U.S. metro area to Calgary. Untame Your Entrepreneurial Spirit!

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.