October 24, 2023
Knoxville Technology Council and Knoxville Chamber Release Technology Skills Gap Survey Results
Horace Mann, a 19th Century U. S. congressman known as The Father of American Education, characterized education as “the great equalizer of conditions of men.” This theory is the bedrock of public education – that all students should receive the same opportunities regardless of socioeconomic background.
What’s too often missing in the discussion is ensuring that students can maximize their earning power over their lifetimes i.e., curriculums that are aligned with communities’ workforce needs.
As the global economy shifts from the Digital Age to the Imagination Age, computer and information technology occupations are poised to see the most growth, not only in number of jobs but also in wages. With the surge in artificial intelligence, technological advancements like fully autonomous vehicles and businesses transitioning to automated processes, the technology skills gap in our workforce will continue to grow unless curriculum is just as malleable and adaptive as the industries in which students will be employed.
To better understand the needs of the Knoxville metropolitan area, the Knoxville Technology Council and Knoxville Chamber partnered to execute the Technology Skills Gap Survey. The survey garnered 100 responses and a 41% completion rate. The top five industries represented were manufacturing, financial services, IT services, real estate, and healthcare.
HIRING
With more than 1,500 local technology jobs requiring less than an associate’s degree (high school diploma or certificate), it is worth investigating why only half of the respondents seek applicants for open positions from credentialing programs. The vast majority still use colleges, universities, and open market websites (i.e. Indeed).
Consider: The survey illustrates that 36 answering companies will need to fill between 400 and 800 new tech positions between 36 answering firms in the next five years. Data provider JobsEQ estimates 4,500 jobs in the Knoxville area will need to be filled in the same timeframe.
Where will hiring managers find the talent to fill the positions? With fewer than 300 graduates with computer-related degrees per year in the Knoxville MSA, that 4,500 number feels unattainable unless there is a collaborative effort to increase and scale certificate programs.
SKILLS AND TRAINING
Nearly three-quarters of respondents do not believe post-secondary graduates are fully equipped to enter the workforce. Notable gaps include hands-on experience, problem-solving skills, and internship experience. Ninety-five percent of firms responding to the survey provide training to current employees, including credentialing, non-credentialing professional development, and tuition reimbursement.
Regarding specific technologies, the highest need with the lowest availability are custom software development, platform-based computing, and business intelligence reporting systems. The top five suggested certifications to include in existing curriculum are Project Management Professional, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Certified Information Security Manager, Cisco Certified, and Certified Cloud Security Professional.
SOLUTIONS
Funding exists from federal and state resources, including the Workforce and Innovation Opportunity Act and Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development grants. Qualifying training includes on-the-job, incumbent worker, apprenticeship, youth work-based learning, and more. While 73% of respondents have not used any grant-based programs, 76% are interested in learning how to leverage those resources. Helping local businesses understand how to connect with the American Job Center, East Tennessee Local Workforce Development Board, and Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, entities that manage and disperse these funds, is a priority.
For more information, contact Lauren Longmire at [email protected].