That’s according to a “State of the Workforce” report unveiled Friday. Finger Lakes Works enlisted the help of William Smith College senior Katherine Campbell, who over several months parsed data to provide a glimpse of local workforce trends. Campbell, an economics major and mathematics minor, presented her 61 pages of findings to local economic developers and employers, including representatives from Finger Lakes Community College, Eastview Mall, Lyons National Bank, the New York state Department of Labor, del Lago Resort & Casino and state Sen. Pam Helming’s office.
Demographically, Campbell noted that Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties all have poverty levels below the national average but on the flip side lag behind that national average in both median household and per capita income. Ontario County is also the only local county experiencing population growth.
Campbell used Bureau of Labor statistics data as well as data from a Monroe Community College analysis in the report.
“Health care exhibited huge growth in all four of the counties,” Campbell said. “I found health care was the most promising industry.”
Those on hand said that assessment mirrors national trends. Although Campbell said her research identified the most growth potential in the health care, construction and information fields in all four counties, current employment snapshots differ from county to county.
In Ontario, the largest employment sector is made up of health care jobs (16.23 percent), followed by retail (16.5 percent) and manufacturing (12.65 percent). Ontario County is home to Eastview Mall in Victor, likely accounting for retail’s strong showing.
In Seneca, manufacturing had the highest percentage of current jobs (19.1 percent), followed by retail (18.9 percent) and health care (9.1 percent). ITT Goulds Pumps and Waterloo Premium Outlets are in Seneca County.
In Wayne County, manufacturing had the largest percentage of current jobs (20 percent), followed by health care (11.7 percent) and retail (11.5 percent).
In Yates, health care led the way (16.1 percent), followed closely by manufacturing (15 percent) and retail (10 percent).
Campbell pointed out that the accommodations/food services sector had the greatest growth relative to its sector size in Ontario County. That also occurred in Seneca County, where data showed a huge jump consistent with the opening of del Lago Resort & Casino in Tyre just over a year ago (an increase of 1,370 jobs in that sector).
Karen Springmeier, executive director of Finger Lakes Works, noted that at a job fair held at Finger Lakes Community College last week, half of the employers on hand were associated with the health care field.
In an earlier interview, Springmeier noted how growth in the accommodations/food services area reflects how the Finger Lakes region is trying to enhance its tourism potential and becoming not just a winery destination but also a food technology corridor as well.
In addition to new restaurants, there is the example of gourmet-food delivery company RealEats choosing Geneva as its production base and Cheribundi evolving from a start-up at the Ag-Tech Park in Geneva then moving its production to the former Tops grocery store in the town. In Wayne County, Mott’s and Baldwin-Richardson Foods continue to be stalwart employers, she said.
Although the data point to declines in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, Springmeier said anecdotally there is still a demand for workers in those fields.
“When you talk to area manufacturers and agriculture people, they are in need of a skilled work force,” she said, noting Guardian Glass in Geneva is hiring. “Again, that’s where I think we have the skills gaps.”
About 10 years ago, Springmeier said manufacturers made up 26 percent of the region’s employers. Although that percentage may have decreased, the manufacturers here are still hiring and that field should not be discounted by job-seekers.
“It’s a good industry for people to get into because there’s growth opportunity and wage increases,” she said.
That sentiment was echoed by several on hand Friday when the report was released. Michael Manikowski, economic developer for Ontario County, said the number of manufacturing jobs may be shrinking long term, but there is a rising need for skilled works in that sector.
“Certainly we see that in my county for sure,” he said. “We need higher quality and less quantity.”
Campbell’s report also noted the strong wages in the manufacturing sector, although one person in the audience said that may be a factor of an older workforce with years of experience.
“I’d like to see what it looks like for people under 40,” he said.
Steve Griffin, CEO of the Finger Lakes Economic Development Center, wondered whether sometimes the four-counties’ data get lumped into a greater aggregate that consequently reinforces the perception that manufacturing is on a downward trend — because that’s not what he’s seeing in Yates County.
Manikowski said he was pleased to see the data reflect projected growth in the construction industry because that has been an area of emphasis among economic developers.
The report also provided data on educational demographics and Manikowski was heartened to see that 15 percent of Ontario County residents had earned an associate degree, well above the national average.
“They tend to stay and tend to contribute to our economy,” he said. “Retention is also important.”
