With nearly 565,000 workers in transportation-related occupations in Michigan, one-fifth are over the age of 55 and will need to be replaced within the next 10 years, says a new report from the Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan. The report says more education and training will be required to meet the expected demands driven by new technologies in mobility and automobile manufacturing.
“It’s critical to consider the skill requirements associated with emerging technologies and practices in transportation to ensure that we have the right people in place for successful adoption and utilization of those technologies,” says Lisa Molnar, associate director and associate research scientist at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, one of the authors of the report. “By researching the existing workforce in transportation safety, we can shape and integrate new training opportunities that ensure available talent.”
Molnar says the top two most in-demand transportation safety-related occupations in Michigan are heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers and software developers. She says the two occupations represent both the traditional and changing nature of the industry. Other jobs in high-demand include laborers and freight, stock, and material movers; mechanical engineers; light truck or delivery service drivers; and industrial engineers.
“More programs and education are required to prepare new workers entering transportation-safety related occupations,” says Lisa Katz, executive director of the Workforce Intelligence Network. “As the need for new workers increases in the upcoming years, it is important to grow individuals with the specialized skills and training needed to fill these positions.”
One-eighth of Michigan’s workers are employed in jobs related to transportation safety, or about 565,000 people.
The Workforce Intelligence Network for Southeast Michigan is a collaborative effort between 10 community colleges and six Michigan Works! Also involved in developing the report were the Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and the Michigan Academy for Green Mobility Alliance, a WIN partner.
To view the full report, click here.
