Rich Price, Executive Director of Economic Development & Regional Partnerships at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, shared some insights into likely causes of workforce shortages. He mentioned that within the last two years, employers have seen a higher percentage of retirement or early retirement due to the pandemic. Also, the reduction in capacity of childcare facilities led more parents to revert back to a single-family income. The availability of remote jobs has allowed people to work from home with corporations nationwide, meaning that there are fewer local job candidates looking for work outside the home around WNC.

Price also stated that because of the depletion of available labor, workforce development efforts have had to pivot and shift with regard to maintaining existing employees. Investing in existing adult workers by retraining and providing new opportunities can be beneficial as a business doesn’t have to start from scratch with their hiring, he said. 

“The community can share some responsibility by creating heightened awareness about high growth and high demand careers right here at home,” Price said. “Programs within the public school systems, internships, and community colleges are critical to create awareness.” 

Western Carolina University, a regional university with students from all over the Southeast, focuses on sharing the abundance of opportunity in the region, Price said. “We must create awareness of the plethora of local opportunities and capitalize on the fresh supply of hungry workers moving into the area to receive their education,” he said. “We really need to work together with all of the colleges around WNC and figure out how to retain the best and brightest minds needed to foster the projected growth happening in our area.”

Price said he understands that communities need balance. “Physical construction due to area growth can strain the infrastructure including cellular communications, broadband capacity, traffic, and other utilities. We also must manage growth smartly and in a balanced fashion so that it doesn’t put strain on natural resources,” Price said. “It’s imperative that we keep WNC a pleasant place to visit by protecting our environment, its sustainability, and the vibrancy that makes our region so desirable.”