Center
for Workforce
Development
Mousebots Attack CWD!
CWD staff recently acquired eight mousebots to demonstrate careers in
electronics manufacturing to the 7,000 7th
and 8th graders attending the recent Jobing
Foundation's Experience Your
Future Day. Assembled by engineering students at Chandler Gilbert
College and powered by a 9-volt battery driving two electric
motors, mousebots are guided by light beams (such as from a flashlight)
and are super fast. Four mousebots will be raffled off to students who
attended Experience Your Future Day. The rest will be used in future
outreach events.
Economic Indicators (Greater
Phoenix):
• Nonfarm Employment (March '08 to
March '09):
- Total: -7.1%
- Construction: -28.0%
- Information: -4.4%
- Financial: -4.4%
- Business Serv.: -12.7%
- Trade & Trans.: -6.4%
- Manufacturing: -5.0%
- Hospitality: -5.7%
- Government: -1.1%
- Edu. & Health: 0.6%
• Unemployment Rate:
- 7.2% Greater Phoenix (March)
- 8.9% U.S. (April)
• Corporate Expansions:
- Banner Health M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: 50 physicians plus
support personnel
• Corporate Downsizing:
- GMAC: 128 jobs
- BAE Systems: 67 jobs
- Freescale Semi: 69 jobs
- Anderson Services/ Prologix: 167 jobs
- Sheraton Wild Horse Pass: 165 jobs
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CWD Goes Green
There has been much discussion in recent months about environmental
sustainability and its potential impact on the economy. Much of this
discussion has focused on the recently passed economic stimulus package
and its emphasis on creating green jobs.
The Center for Workforce Development has completed a white
paper for the purpose of occupational program planning at the Maricopa
Colleges regarding environmental sustainability. The CWD's paper
identifies four broad, local industry segments that have been or will
be most impacted by green initiatives, and identifies existing programs
within the Maricopa system that have or may have strong green
components:
• Renewable Energy
• Construction/Building
• Transportation
• Environmental Services
To download the CWD's complete white paper report
"Sustainable Jobs and Green Careers"
please click here.
CWD Working to Lure Stimulus Funding
CWD staff has been meeting with college representatives and regional
partners to coordinate efforts in attracting Workforce Investment Act
(WIA) competitive training dollars from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act. Over $15 million has been approved for Maricopa
County/City of Phoenix
to provide adult, youth, dislocated worker, and rapid response
workforce training.
The CWD is working with the county/city public workforce
system to identify top job demand areas now and as the economic begins
to recover. This information will help drive WIA supported cohort
training that will be made available beginning in August/September, for
short terms (6-18 months), credit or non-credit, offered in program
areas already available at MCCCD. Areas being considered include:
• Automotive Repair
• Green/Sustainability
• Health Care
• Information Technology
• Manufacturing
The CWD is also working with our colleges and partners to lure
additional competitive and youth services WIA dollars and is exploring
scholarship opportunities for our students.
Economic and Workforce Overview
The recession appears to be approaching its zenith in the early months
of 2009 in terms of bad economic news.
Each day seems to bring more reports of layoffs, foreclosures,
unemployment, and deficits.
Employment Update:
• The U.S. lost 1.3 million jobs in the first quarter of 2009, on
top of 3 million lost in 2008. This made 2008's collapse in employment
was the
worst since the end of WWII. Nationwide, employment declined in every
month of 2008.
• Currently, the U.S. unemployment rate stands at 8.9% in April.
This is the highest level seen in 25 years. Unemployment is expected to
approach 10% in 2009 and may top it. As a lagging indicator,
unemployment will remain high even after the economy begins to recover.
• The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 7.6% for women, 10.0%
for men, and 14.7% for 20-24 year-olds.
• The unemployment rate in Greater Phoenix stands at 7.2% in March.
• Greater Phoenix led the nation's 20 largest metros in home price
declines between February 2008 and February 2009, down 35.2%. From
their peak in mid-2006, home values in Greater Phoenix have plunged a
whopping 51.0%.
Bright Spots:
• The stock market has rebounded over 25% from its low in March
2009.
• New applications for jobless benefits declined to their lowest
level in over three months, a possible sign that layoffs have peaked.
• Inflation is under control. The consumer price index was down 0.1%
in March. Prices are declining due to the
effects of falling energy prices and the recession.
• With oil trading at around $60 per barrel, down from $145 per
barrel in July 2008, Americans have nearly $1 billion extra per day to
spend on essentials rather than at the pump.
• Mortgage rates are approaching historic lows, allowing those who
can qualify to refinance.
• The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index is up from a historic low in
February.
• Existing home sales in Greater Phoenix bottomed out in November of
2007. Since then, sales are up 50%.
• The Feds have been proactive in stimulating the economy: $787
billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; $275 billion to
facilitate modification of home mortgages; $1 trillion to purchase
securities to increase the flow of credit to the private sector;
$75-$100 billion to create a marked for bad debt and purge bank balance
sheets of sour assets.
• Psychology is the key to recovery according to economists at the
University of Arizona. History tell us that just when
everyone capitulates to the idea that conditions will never improve,
recovery begins.
For more information on the state economy, click here.
About Us
The Center for Workforce Development works to ensure that the Greater
Phoenix economy has a skilled labor pool which meets the existing and
emerging workforce needs of the employer community. You can visit us at
www.maricopa.edu/workforce
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