American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Transcription

1 2011 The Needs and Demands of the Healthcare Industry in the Brockton Workforce Area American Recovery and Reinvestment Act This project is funded by a Healthcare Skills Gap Partnership grant through the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The grant program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is administered by Commonwealth Corporation. The Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board, 34 School Street, Brockton, MA

2 This report was prepared by Irene Donoghue on behalf of BAWIB and the Healthcare Skills Gap Partnership. Irene Donoghue Irene has years of experience in higher education successfully directing the operations of corporation and community education training divisions. She also has many years of experience as a corporate trainer. Her extensive personal knowledge of the training needs of our region provided a good down- to-earth perspective in recommending training strategies to help us prepare for future demands in the healthcare area. Irene lives in Massachusetts with her family finishing up her Master degree in Organizational Leadership. When there is time, she enjoys quilting, cooking, gardening, and reading. Irene can be contacted at [email protected].

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 1 Purpose... 1 Methodology... 1 DEMOGRAPHICS... 2 BAWIB Service Territory... 2 Population... 3 Workforce Employed / Unemployed... 8 Section Conclusion Demographics HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IN THE REGION Healthcare in the Area Healthcare Careers Employment and Wage Trends Employers Healthcare Vacancies Section Conclusion Healthcare Industry in the Region HEALTHCARE TRAINING Education Requirements Current Training Programs Available Healthcare Training Needs Career Ladders Section Conclusion - Healthcare Training FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations - Demographics Recommendations - Healthcare Industry in the Region Recommendations - Healthcare Training Closing Remarks Sources Cited in BAWIB Analysis Report Appendix... 44

4 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Purpose The purpose of this report is to collect and analyze Labor Market Information regarding workforce needs and demands of the Healthcare Industry in the Southeastern Massachusetts area. The focus of this report is the Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board (BAWIB) training area along with other surrounding communities including Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, Attleboro and North Attleboro. The goal of this effort is to identify critical healthcare workforce issues to allow BAWIB and partners to address healthcare disparities to meet the unique needs of their diverse training communities. Methodology In the course of preparing this report, a variety of materials were collected and reviewed. This included earlier surveys and reports by BAWIB, the MA Department of Workforce Development, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and others. Additional current information was gathered to supplement this report by surveying healthcare providers and educators in the Southeastern Massachusetts service area. Topics to be discussed in this analysis include demographics, healthcare industry in the region, and healthcare training. The conclusions and recommendations are based upon the strengths and weaknesses revealed by analysis of data in these areas and the possible synergies that could be provided by BAWIB and its partners. Page 1

5 DEMOGRAPHICS BAWIB Service Territory The Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board (BAWIB) is one of 16 Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) statewide. BAWIB is a business driven, non-profit organization established to create public/private training partnerships. BAWIB oversees and implements workforce development in the Greater Brockton region service area including ten towns/cities. They help connect employers with job seekers and provide current members of the workforce, and those seeking employment with the training they need. The BAWIB training service area as well parts of the neighboring New Bedford and Bristol County workforce areas (Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, Attleboro and North Attleboro) are included in this report. Page 2

6 Population The U.S. Census between 2000 and 2010, reports the total population in the Brockton Workforce Service Area grew by 5,226, an increase of 2.26%, as shown below in Table 1. During this same ten year period, the Massachusetts population increased by 198,532 or 3.13%. The City of Brockton was among 13 cities in Massachusetts whose population decreased. Brockton, the state s seventh (7 th ) largest city, experienced a slight population decrease of 494 or -0.52%. In 2010, the Brockton population stood at 93,810. While the Towns of Avon (-1.96%) and Stoughton (-0.69%) lost population, the other communities in the Brockton Workforce Service Area saw increases in population of between 3.6% to 9.5%. In the other communities listed below in Table 1, Fall River (-3.35%) and Taunton (-0.18%) lost population, while New Bedford, Attleboro and North Attleboro saw increases in population ranging from 1.39% to 5.78%. Table 1 Population of the Brockton Workforce Area City or Town % Change United States 308,745, ,421, % Massachusetts 6,547,629 6,349, % Brockton Workforce Area 236, , % Abington 15,985 14, % Avon 4,356 4, % Bridgewater 26,563 25, % Brockton 93,810 94, % East Bridgewater 13,794 12, % Easton 23,112 22, % Hanson 10,209 9, % Stoughton 26,962 27, % West Bridgewater 6,916 6, % Whitman 14,489 13, % Fall River 88,857 91, % New Bedford 95,072 93, % Attleboro 43,593 42, % North Attleboro 28,712 27, % Taunton 55,874 55, % Source: U.S. Census Bureau Page 3

7 While the population in the Southeast area is growing at a slower pace than the U.S. and Massachusetts as a whole, Southeastern Massachusetts is one of the fastest growing culturally and linguistically diverse regions in the state. As shown on Table 2 below, the minority population across the region has increased between 2000 and 2010, with a large influx of Hispanic and racially mixed immigrants. The three largest cities in the Southeast area, Brockton, Fall River and New Bedford have large Latino / Hispanic populations which have grown significantly over the last ten years (1,805, 3,522, and 6,340, respectively). This represents an increase of the Hispanic population in Brockton of 19%, Fall River 54% and New Bedford 40%. In the Brockton Workforce Area during the time period of 2000 and 2010, the racial mix of the population has shifted dramatically with a decrease in the white population (-11,978) and an increase in the black and other racially mixed populations (17,198). Table 2 Total Population Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2000 to 2010 Change 2010 Change, 2000 to 2010 Race Hispanic Total Race White Black Asian Multiple or Popul- White Black Asian Multiple or Other Latino ation or Other Hispanic or Latino Massachusetts 6,547,629 5,265, , , , , ,532 (102,050) 90, ,644 98, ,925 Brockton Workforce Area 236, ,531 35,677 4,768 23,153 12,764 5,226 (11,978) 15,283 1, ,230 Abington 15,985 14, , Avon 4,356 3, (87) (492) Bridgew ater 26,563 24,163 1, ,378 2, (1,130) 145 Brockton 93,810 43,821 29,276 2,151 18,510 9,357 (494) (14,168) 12, ,106 1,805 East Bridgew ater 13,794 13, Easton 23,112 21, (478) 223 Hanson 10,209 9, (1) Stoughton 26,962 21,634 2, , (187) (2,383) 1, West Bridgew ater 6,916 6, Whitman 14,489 13, Attleboro 43,593 37,975 1,299 1,978 2,302 2,765 1,525 (435) Fall River 88,857 77,349 3,466 2,275 5,737 6,562 (3,081) (6,466) 1, ,909 3,522 North Attleborough 28,712 26, , , Taunton 55,874 48,742 2, ,774 3,058 (102) (2,573) 1, New Bedford 95,072 70,799 6, ,247 15,916 1,304 (3,151) 1, ,199 6,340 Source: Page 4

8 Table 3 Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2000 to 2010 Change Percent of Total Population Race White Black Asian Multiple or Other Hispanic or Latino Massachusetts 80.4% 6.6% 5.3% 7.3% 9.6% Brockton Workforce Area 73.0% 15.1% 2.0% 9.6% 5.4% Abington 92.5% 2.1% 1.8% 3.3% 1.9% Avon 84.0% 10.0% 2.8% 3.1% 2.8% Bridgew ater 91.0% 4.9% 1.2% 2.7% 3.2% Brockton 46.7% 31.2% 2.3% 19.4% 10.0% East Bridgew ater 95.3% 1.6% 0.8% 2.1% 1.5% Easton 91.5% 3.2% 2.4% 2.7% 2.5% Hanson 96.5% 1.0% 0.5% 2.0% 0.9% Stoughton 80.2% 11.1% 3.6% 4.9% 3.2% West Bridgew ater 94.9% 1.5% 1.1% 2.4% 1.7% Whitman 95.0% 1.2% 0.8% 2.7% 1.8% Attleboro 87.1% 3.0% 4.5% 5.1% 6.3% Fall River 87.0% 3.9% 2.6% 6.2% 7.4% North Attleborough 92.5% 1.5% 3.5% 2.3% 2.4% Taunton 87.2% 5.0% 1.0% 6.5% 5.5% New Bedford 74.5% 6.4% 0.9% 16.9% 16.7% Source: Table 3 above, Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2000 to 2010 Change, demonstrates great diversity in the Southeast region by race and Hispanic origin. In the Brockton Workforce Area there is a higher percentage of blacks (15.1%) and multiple/other (9.6%) than reported statewide as a whole (6.6% and 7.3%, respectively). Notably, Hispanics/Latinos make up 10% of the City of Brockton s population, and 16.7% of New Bedford s population. There is also a significant multi racial population in the cities of Brockton (19.4%) and New Bedford (16.9%) which is significantly higher than the statewide average. In the City of Brockton this racial diversity results in a white population that is only 46.7% of the total. Page 5

9 Diversity in the region manifests itself in the foreign-born/immigrant and foreign speaking population as shown in Table 4 below. In the cities of Brockton, New Bedford and Fall River, a significant number of the population is foreign-born (26.1%, 22.2% and 21%, respectively). These percentages are higher than the statewide average of 14.9%. More than half of this foreign-born population speaks a language other than English at home. Of the total populations in these three cities more than 1/3 speaks a language other than English at home. Of the City of Brockton s total population, 7.5% speak Spanish at home while another 27% speak another foreign language. In New Bedford and Fall River, the Spanish speaking populations are 10.3% and 4.9%, while other foreign languages are spoken by 27.4% and 29.6%. Table 4 Language & Origin Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Massa - Subject chusetts By Origin Brockton New Bedford Fall River Total Population 6,125,623 85,999 84,782 85,250 Native Population 85.10% 73.90% 77.80% 79.00% Foreign-born Population 14.90% 26.10% 22.20% 21.00% Naturalized U.S. Citizen 7.10% 12.60% 12.30% 10.70% Non - U.S. Citizen 7.80% 13.50% 9.90% 10.30% Speak English at Home 4,877,834 56,346 52,849 55,854 Native Population 96.30% 94.70% 96.30% 97.30% Foreign-born Population 3.70% 5.30% 3.70% 2.70% Speak Other Language at Home 1,247,789 29,653 31,933 29,396 Native Population 41.30% 34.50% 47.20% 44.20% Foreign-born Population 58.70% 65.50% 52.80% 55.80% Speak Spanish at Home 431,636 6,436 8,743 4,162 Native Population 60.40% 69.10% 70.90% 72.80% Foreign-born Population 39.60% 30.90% 29.10% 27.20% By Language % of Total Population Speak English at Home 79.60% 65.50% 62.30% 65.50% Speak Other Language at Home 20.40% 34.50% 37.70% 34.50% Speak Spanish at Home 7.00% 7.50% 10.30% 4.90% Speak Other Foreign Language at Home 13.40% 27.00% 27.40% 29.60% Page 6

10 Educational attainment in the area has a direct impact on employment and earnings. As referenced in Table 5 below, 59.6% of the City of Brockton s year old population has only a high school degree or equivalent, displaying a much higher rate than the statewide average of 42.9%. This demonstrates that a large portion of this age group are not advancing onto college or beyond. Of the 25 years and over population, 81.4% in Brockton have completed high school as compared to 88.4% statewide. However, only 16.3% have completed a bachelor degree, which is less than half the statewide of 37.8%. In both New Bedford and Fall River, only 13.8% of high school graduates obtained a bachelor degree or higher, which is a rate even lower Brockton. Of the 25 years and over population statewide 11.6% have less than a high school diploma. A significantly larger percentage of this age group in Brockton, New Bedford and Fall River has less than high school diplomas (18.6%, 34.4% and 32.9%, respectively). Table 5 Educational Attainment Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Massa - Subject chusetts Brockton New Bedford Fall River Population 18 to 24 years 645,115 8,029 7,890 9,165 Less than high school graduate 12.70% 18.00% 23.80% 26.30% High school graduate (or equivalency) 30.20% 41.60% 38.70% 34.40% Some college or associate's degree 42.60% 35.10% 30.60% 31.00% Bachelor's degree or higher 14.50% 5.30% 6.90% 8.30% Population 25 years and over 4,415,135 59,505 61,138 61,829 Less than high school graduate 11.60% 18.60% 34.40% 32.90% High school graduate (or equivalency) 27.20% 36.30% 32.10% 31.90% Some college, no degree 15.80% 19.80% 13.90% 14.80% Associate's degree 7.60% 9.00% 5.90% 6.60% Total bachelor's degree or higher 37.80% 16.30% 13.80% 13.80% Total high school graduate or higher 88.40% 81.40% 65.60% 67.10% Median Earnings (In 2009 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) Population 25 years and over $41,716 $32,139 $30,521 $29,914 Less than high school graduate 22,877 25,054 24,408 22,908 High school graduate (or equivalency) 32,053 30,640 27,919 28,178 Some college or associate's degree 37,629 32,912 33,287 30,667 Bachelor's degree 52,544 41,985 41,045 42,939 Graduate or professional degree 66,605 58,569 50,604 55,703 The median earnings across most levels of education are lower in Brockton than the statewide average with the exception of the category of less than high school graduate. Surprisingly, the Page 7

11 earnings for this group in the City of Brockton is higher than the statewide average possibly showing employer willingness / desperation to hire undereducated people into much needed positions. As shown above in Table 5, a Brockton high school graduate earns approximately $5,000 a year more than those without a high school diploma. By comparison statewide, high school graduates earn nearly $10,000 more than those without a high school diploma. A bachelor degree in Brockton earns $41,985 compared to the statewide average is $52,544 for the same degree working elsewhere. Workforce Employed / Unemployed As shown in Table 6 below, the unemployment rate for the 1 st Qtr is higher than the statewide average throughout the Brockton, Bristol County, and New Bedford Workforce Areas. The three largest cities of Brockton, Fall River and New Bedford have the largest number of unemployed and the highest unemployment rates in the region. Table 6 Labor Force Estimates by City And Town Area Labor Force Employed Unemployed 1st Qtr 2010 Unemp Rate Massachusetts 3,463,467 3,121, , % Brockton Workforce Area, Total 126, ,523 13, % Abington 9,716 8, % Avon 2,352 2, % Bridgewater 13,492 12,246 1, % Brockton 46,186 40,326 5, % East Bridgewater 7,841 6, % Easton 13,508 12,402 1, % Hanson 5,772 5, % Stoughton 15,286 13,840 1, % West Bridgewater 3,562 3, % Whitman 8,453 7, % Bristol County Workforce Area, Total 200, ,755 25, % Attleborough 24,396 21,545 2, % Fall River 45,910 37,633 8, % North Attleborough 16,443 14,616 1, % Taunton 31,651 28,048 3, % Greater New Bedford Workforce Area, Total 108,518 93,346 15, % New Bedford 43,773 36,024 7, % Page 8

12 Employment status in the region is impacted by age, race or origin. In Table 7 below, employment status of the Cities of Brockton, New Bedford, Fall River and the State of Massachusetts are compared. Of the population employed, it is notable that a higher percentage of year olds are in the workforce in Brockton, New Bedford, and Fall River than the statewide average. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin in Brockton have a lower unemployment rate (11.2%) than the statewide rate (11.6%) while in the other cities rate are higher (13.4%, 31.1%). Unemployment rates among blacks and multiple or other races are higher than whites. Table 7 Employment Status Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates Subject Employed New Bedford Fall River Mass. Brockton Unemployment rate New Bedford Fall River Mass. Brockton Population 16 years and over 62.8% 63.0% 55.5% 55.0% 6.7% 10.4% 9.8% 11.4% Age 16 to 19 years 37.1% 43.4% 39.9% 44.9% 19.8% 31.3% 21.0% 28.6% 20 to 24 years 65.4% 67.0% 69.6% 69.3% 11.5% 16.2% 16.7% 12.8% 25 to 44 years 79.4% 79.0% 72.8% 71.0% 5.9% 9.0% 8.5% 11.4% 45 to 54 years 79.6% 74.9% 66.3% 67.6% 5.0% 8.2% 8.6% 7.3% 55 to 64 years 66.4% 61.3% 55.0% 51.7% 5.0% 5.5% 6.8% 9.2% 65 to 74 years 26.6% 24.5% 19.4% 16.1% 4.9% 6.3% 3.2% 5.2% 75 years and over 5.8% 3.9% 4.9% 5.4% 4.1% 7.6% 6.2% 2.9% Race White 62.9% 60.9% 55.6% 55.1% 6.6% 8.6% 8.5% 11.0% Black or African American 63.2% 67.8% 54.5% 56.1% 6.0% 12.0% 18.3% 19.2% Asian 59.2% 64.7% 61.6% 62.9% 12.4% 15.1% 7.9% 9.5% Multiple or Other Races 60.2% 61.1% 54.2% 46.7% 11.5% 13.1% 13.9% 19.3% Hispanic Or Latino Origin Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 59.9% 64.8% 52.4% 44.6% 11.6% 11.2% 13.4% 31.1% White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 61.7% 60.2% 56.0% 55.5% 10.9% 8.7% 8.0% 10.0% Page 9

13 1st Qtr Unemployment Rates for Brockton Workforce Area The unemployment rate in the Brockton Workforce Area (10.8%) is higher than reported in the statewide area (9.9%) with the highest rate in the City of Brockton of 12.7%. The unemployment rates in all other communities in the Brockton Workforce Area are closer to the statewide average. Page 10

14 Table 8 below shows a profile of unemployment insurance claimants for Massachusetts, Brockton WIA, New Bedford WIA and Bristol WIA, displayed by race, and further separated by Hispanic or Latino classifications. When compared with Table 3, entitled Population by Race and Hispanic Origin, the unemployment claimants generally match the profile of the workforce in their respective regions. Table 8 Profile of Unemployment Insurance Claimants March 2010 Massachusetts Brockton WIA New Bedford WIA Bristol WIA Number % Number % Number % Number % Claimants by Race Total 137, % 5, % 6, % 14, % White 113, % 4, % 5, % 12, % Black 10, % % % % Native American % % % % Asian 3, % % % % Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders % % % % INA or Unknown 9, % % % % Claimants by Hispanic or Latino Total 137, % 5, % 6, % 14, % Hispanic or Latino 13, % % % 1, % Not Hispanic or Latino 122, % 5, % 5, % 13, % INA or Unknown 1, % % % % Source: LMI Reports Brockton, New Bedford and Bristol Profiles, May 2010 Page 11

15 Table 9 below shows a profile of unemployment insurance claimants for Massachusetts, Brockton WIA, New Bedford WIA and Bristol WIA, displayed by average weekly wage, age group and education attainment. The age group, as you would expect, represent the highest number of unemployment insurance claimants across the three Workforce Areas, close to the statewide average. A higher percentage of these claimants earn a weekly average below $800 than the statewide average. By education attainment across all three regions, a higher level of claimants are represented by high school graduates than the statewide average. Correspondingly, the claimant rates for those with some college education is lower than the statewide average. Table 9 Profile of Unemployment Insurance Claimants March 2010 Massachusetts Brockton WIA New Bedford WIA Bristol WIA Number % Number % Number % Number % Claimants by Average Weekly Wage Under $300 16, % % % 1, % $300 - $499 25, % 1, % 1, % 2, % $500 - $799 36, % 1, % 1, % 3, % $800 - $999 17, % % % 1, % $1,000 - $1,500 24, % % 1, % 2, % Over $1,500 17, % % % 1, % Claimants by Age Group Under Age 22 4, % % % % , % % % % , % 1, % 1, % 3, % , % 1, % 1, % 3, % , % 1, % 1, % 3, % , % % % 1, % , % % % % Over Age 64 5, % % % % Claimants by Level of Education Attainment Through Grade 8 4, % % % % 9th to 11th Grade 9, % % % 1, % High School Graduate 49, % 2, % 2, % 4, % 1-3 Years of College 24, % 1, % % 1, % 4 or More Years of College 24, % % % 1, % Source: LMI Reports Brockton, New Bedford and Bristol Profiles, May 2010 Page 12

16 Table 10 below shows a profile of unemployment insurance claimants for Massachusetts, Brockton WIA, New Bedford WIA and Bristol WIA of healthcare related jobs. Across the regions healthcare related jobs represent only 4.3% - 7.3% of total claimants. Table 10 Profile of Unemployment Insurance Claimants March 2010 Massachusetts Brockton WIA New Bedford WIA Bristol WIA Number % Number % Number % Number % Claimants by North American Industry Classification(NAICS) Total UI Claimants 124, % 4, % 5, % 13, % Healthcare Social Assistance (NAICS 62) 7, % % % % Source: LMI Reports Brockton, New Bedford and Bristol Profiles, May 2010 Page 13

17 Section Conclusion Demographics The Brockton Workforce Area and surrounding communities is a culturally and linguistically diverse region. While the population in the region is growing at a slower pace than the State, the minority population has increased. In the Brockton Workforce Area there has been a decrease in the white population and an increase in the black and racially mixed populations, as well as a surge of Hispanic/Latinos. Diversity in the region manifests itself in the population with a high percentage of foreign speaking and foreign-born/immigrants. Of these foreign speakers, a large percentage speak Spanish, an even larger amount speak a mixture of other foreign languages. Educational attainment lags across the area. Notably, a high percentage of the City of Brockton s year old population have only a high school diploma suggesting that a large portion of this group are not furthering their education. In the City of Brockton, there are a high number of those with less than a high school diploma. The earnings for this group, however, is surprisingly higher than the statewide average, possibly showing employer willingness / desperation to hire undereducated people into much needed positions. These higher than expected earnings create a smaller premium paid for a high school diploma and provide less incentive for students to remain in school. In the long run, these students without a diploma will miss the opportunity to advance up a career ladder. The unemployment rate in the Brockton Workforce Area is higher than reported in the statewide area with the highest rates in the three cities of Brockton, New Bedford, and Fall River. The unemployment rates in all other communities in the Brockton Workforce Area are closer to the statewide average. While the unemployment rate in the cities of Brockton, New Bedford and Fall River is higher than the statewide average across all age groups, the year old age group stands out as significantly higher. This suggests that the year olds here represent a larger workforce pool than might be expected as compared to other parts of the state. The profile of unemployment claimants generally match the demographics of the workforce in the region. With generally lower wages and higher number of claims with high school graduates or less. Healthcare related jobs in the region represent a relatively low number of total unemployment claimants suggesting a high demand. Page 14

18 HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IN THE REGION Healthcare in the Area The healthcare industry is a vital part of Southeastern Massachusetts economic development. In a report on Employment Projections by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD), 216,650 net new jobs in Massachusetts are projected during this time period. As shown in Table 11 below, of this projected growth in new jobs, 83,690 (38.6%) are in the area of Healthcare and Social Assistance. This demonstrates that employment in the healthcare industry (18.6%) is expected to grow much faster than statewide overall employment (6.3%) over the same time period. Table 11 Massachusetts Employment by Industry, 2006 and Projected 2016 NAICS Code NAICS Title Net Change Percent Change Total Employment 3,454,420 3,671, , % 62 Health Care and Social Assistance 450, ,010 83, % 621, 622, and 623 Health Care 387, ,340 64, % 621 Ambulatory Health Care Services 130, ,780 24, % 6211, 6212 and 6213 Offices of Health Care Practitioners 80,990 91,500 10, % 6216 Home Health Care Services 21,000 30,000 9, % 6214, 6215 Outpatient, Laboratory & Other Ambulatory and 6219 Care Services 28,310 33,280 4, % 622 Hospitals, Private 165, ,730 23, % 623 Nursing and Residential Care Facilities 92, ,830 16, % 6231 Nursing Care Facilities 56,620 61,920 5, % 6232, 6233 and 6239 Residential Care Facilities 35,590 46,910 11, % 624 Social Assistance 62,610 81,670 19, % 6241 Individual and Family Services 27,500 40,370 12, % 6242, 6243 Individual, Family, Community and Vocational Rehabilitation Services 12,910 14,300 1, % 6244 Child Day Care Services 22,200 27,000 4, % HC & SA as % of Total Employment 13.0% 14.5% 38.6% Source: MA Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development Page 15

19 As shown in Table 12 below, in 2008, Healthcare & Social Assistance represented 16% of the total employment in the workforce area of Brockton, 17.3% in New Bedford, and 15.3% in Bristol, providing higher than average wages. In the most recent statewide data, June 2010 June 2011, healthcare represents 16% of the total employment and 26% of the job growth over the past year. The 2008 annual average wage in the Brockton Workforce Area of $44,124 was below the statewide figure of $56,759 by $12,635. Healthcare and Social Assistance was among the key sectors whose annual average wages of $45,891 exceeded the overall average in the Brockton Workforce Area. Table 12 Area Employment by NAICS Employment Gross Payroll Average Number % Number % Wage Brockton WIA (Annual Average 2008) Total Employment 90, % $4,007,144, % $44, Healthcare & Social Assistance 14, % $667,112, % $45, Offices of Doctors & Clinics 5, % $294,831, % $53, Hospitals 4, % $236,966, % $54, Nursing & Resid. Care Facilities 2, % $89,137, % $32, Social Assistance 1, % $46,177, % $24,139 New Bedford WIA (Annual Average 2008) Total Employment 80, % $3,155,636, % $39, Healthcare & Social Assistance 13, % $592,607, % $42, Offices of Doctors & Clinics 4, % $253,455, % $56, Hospitals C C C C C 623 Nursing & Resid. Care Facilities 4, % $120,850, % $29, Social Assistance 2, % $54,657, % $23,994 C=Confidential Bristol WIA (Annual Average 2008) Total Employment 143, % $5,928,179, % $41, Healthcare & Social Assistance 21, % $902,291, % $41, Offices of Doctors & Clinics 6, % $332,132, % $50, Hospitals 6, % $314,980, % $50, Nursing & Resid. Care Facilities 5, % $166,957, % $30, Social Assistance 3, % $88,221, % $25,213 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Source: MA Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development Page 16

20 Healthcare Careers As displayed below in Table 13, there are many rewarding career opportunities available in the healthcare profession; a sample is displayed below along with average salary in the City of Brockton, MA area as researched as of July, Table 13 Healthcare Career Title Average Salary Brockton, MA Healthcare Career Title Average Salary Brockton, MA Administrative Assistant, Bilingual $42,000 Medical Billing Clerk $33,000 Adult Basic Education (ABE) Instructor 38,000 Medical Coding Technician 46,000 Anesthesia Technician 36,000 Medical Health Technician 32,000 Animal Technician 34,000 Medical Information Management 68,000 Cardiovascular Technologist 48,000 Mental Interpreter 40,000 First Aid for Healthcare Professionals 45,000 MRI Technologist 53,000 Dental Administrative Assistant 48,000 Nursing Assistant 27,000 Dental Assistant 34,000 Nursing Assistant, Certified 29,000 Dental Hygienist 65,000 Occupational Nursing Asst., Certified 29,000 EKG Technician 42,000 Operating Room Technician 42,000 Emergency Medical Dispatch 31,000 Ophthalmic Assistant, Bilingual 42,000 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) 31,000 Personal Care Attendant 35,000 ESOL Instructor 43,000 Personal Trainer 49,000 Fitness Instructor 49,000 Pharmacy Technician 34,000 Food Supervision in Healthcare 51,000 Phlebotomy Technician 36,000 Geriatric Nurse, RN 63,000 Physical Therapist Assistant 48,000 Health Claims Analyst 36,000 Polysomnography (Sleep Tech) 61,000 Health Services Administrator 77,000 Radiologic Technology 76,000 Healthcare Business Manager 66,000 Respiratory Therapist, Certified 51,000 Home Health Aide 29,000 Special Needs Instructor 47,000 Human Services Worker 23,000 Staff Nurse, RN 68,000 Licensed Practical Nursing 43,000 Surgical Technologist 41,000 Massage Therapist 44,000 Ultrasound Technologist 68,000 Medical Administrative Assistant 34,000 Veterinary Assistant 28,000 Medical Assistant 31,000 Sources: Indeed Salary Search, July, 2011 Salary.com, July, 2011 Page 17

21 Employment and Wage Trends As noted previously, the healthcare industry plays a significant role in the economy and employment throughout the Southeastern Massachusetts region. In its report on Employment Projections , the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) estimated a growth of 83,690 new jobs in the area of healthcare and social assistance across the entire state. Southeastern Massachusetts region should anticipate similar growth trends in its healthcare industry. While the focus is often on new job growth, it is important to remember that most job openings will be the result of replacement demand rather than growth. As shown in Table 14 below, 78% of the nearly one million projected net new job openings statewide will occur because of replacement associated with retirement, labor force withdrawal, and occupational changes. For example, total projected net new openings for Registered Nurses are expected to be 29,050, with 12,940 replacement jobs and 16,110 new jobs (as shown in Table 15 on the next page). Table 14 Job Openings Source: Massachusetts Employment Projections Table 15 on the following page also shows a sampling of healthcare careers and their projected growth statewide over the period. The occupations with the largest projected number of net new jobs through 2016 include Registered Nurses (+16,110), Home Health Aides (+5,830), Nursing Aides and Orderlies (+5,590), LPNs (+2,040), Medical Assistants (2,300) and Pharmacy Technicians (+1,660). Among the fastest growing occupations in Healthcare are Home Health Aides (+34%), Pharmacy Technicians (+29%), Physical Therapist Assistants (+27%), Medical Assistants (24%), Dental Assistants (+20%), and Registered Nurse (+21%). Page 18

22 Table 15 Page Code Massachusetts Employment by Occupation and Education and Training Health Care Careers, Current and Projected, Occupational Title* 2006 Jobs** 2016 Jobs** Number % Number % Net Change % Change Cardiovascular Technologists % 1, % % $53, Dental Assistants 6, % 7, % 1, % 1,120 2,430 $37, Dental Hygienists 5, % 6, % 1, % 1,060 2,210 $71, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers 1, % 1, % % $69, Dietitians and Nutritionists 2, % 2, % % $54, Emergency Medical Technicians & Paramedics 4, % 5, % % 570 1,350 $37, Licensed Practical & Licensed Voc. Nurses 17, % 19, % 2, % 4,760 6,810 $48, Medical and Health Services Managers 8, % 9, % 1, % 1,530 2,640 $98, Medical Assistants 9, % 11, % 2, % 1,200 3,500 $32, Medical & Clinical Lab. Technicians 7, % 8, % % 1,090 2,050 $37, Medical Records & Health Info. Technicians 5, % 6, % % 1,530 2,290 $33, Medical Secretaries 18, % 20, % 1, % 2,960 4,660 $34, Nursing, Psychiatric & Home Health Aides 67, % 78, % 11, % 6,050 17, Home Health Aides 17, % 23, % 5, % 1,550 7,370 $25, Nursing Aides, Orderlies, & Attendants 41, % 47, % 5, % 3,730 9,320 $27, Psychiatric p Aides y p 8, % 8, % % $29, Assistants & Aides 4, % 5, % % 600 1, Occupational Therapist Assistants 1, % 1, % % $43, Occupational Therapist Aides % % % $33, Physical Therapist Assistants 2, % 2, % % $47, Physical Therapist Aides 1, % 1, % % $29, Occupational Therapists 4, % 5, % % 640 1,410 $64, Pharmacy Technicians 5, % 7, % 1, % 1,750 3,410 $29, Physical Therapists 6, % 8, % 1, % 790 2,270 $68, Physician Assistants 2, % 2, % % $81, Physicians and Surgeons, All Other 9, % 9, % % 1,630 2,520 $150, Radiologic Technicians 5, % 6, % % 810 1,520 $63, Registered Nurses 78, % 94, % 16, % 12,940 29,050 $74, Respiratory Therapists 2, % 2, % % $57, Surgical Technologists 1, % 2, % % $42, Veterinary Technicians 1, % 2, % % 560 1,170 $33,130 6 Page 19 Replacement Openings~ Net Job^ Openings 2007 Average Wage Education /Training Level***

23 FOOTNOTES for Table 15 above: *Listed for only those occupations providing 100 or more jobs **Includes self-employed ~Represents the number of job openings expected to arise from the need to replace workers who retire or move up the career ladder ^ Represents the sum of net change and replacements ***Education and Training Level - 1. First Professional Degree 2. Doctorate 3. Master's Degree 4. Work Experience, plus a Bachelor's Degree or Higher 5. Bachelor's Degree 6. Associate's Degree 7. Postsecondary Vocational Training/Certificate 8. Work Experience in a Related Occupation 9. Long-Term On-the-Job Training (1 or more years) 10. Moderate-Term On-the-Job Training (1 to 12 months) 11. Short-Term On-the-Job Training (1 to 4 weeks) Further descriptions of the careers listed above in Table 15, Column one, labeled Page, are available in the Appendix section at the end of this report. Page 20

24 Employers In order to better assess and accurately predict needs of area healthcare employers in the BAWIB service area, a brief survey by telephone was conducted, July, Following are the results and comments of these area healthcare employers. Sampling of Healthcare Related Employers in the Brockton Service Area Baypointe Rehabilitation Center, Brockton, MA (508) Kristene Donovan, Staff Development Baypointe has full and part-time employees. They currently have no staffing needs and do not see any difficulties filling positions should they arise. They receive many walk-in candidates seeking employment. There are no training needs at this time. Blue Hills Alzheimer s Care Center, Stoughton, MA (781) Peter Callagy, Director Blue Hills Alzheimer s Care Center has full-time, part-time, and per diem employees. They have a staffing need for CNA s ( bi-lingual certified nursing assistant), RN s and LPN s, an activity aide, dietary aide and a position open for a cook. They do not foresee any problems filling these positions for they accept walk-in applications. The Director stated there are no language problems at this facility with employees or patients although the laundry workers struggle with the English language. Training needs include CNA 2 & 3 upgrade skills, and customer service training. Visiting Nursing Association, Brockton, MA (508) Suzanne Gerrior, HR Rep. The Visiting Nursing Association is currently seeking a Vice President of HR, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, RN s and pediatric nurses. They do not anticipate problems filling these positions. Many will be filled through an agency. They do not have any training needs at this time. Braemore Rehabilitation/Nursing Center, Brockton, MA (508) , Karen, HR The Braemore Rehabilitation/Nursing Center has between employees. They have no staffing needs at this time or any projected needs for the coming year. When jobs become available, they do not have any problems filling them. No training needs are required at this time. Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center, Brockton, MA (508) Jennifer, HR Rep. Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center staffs between 1,000 1,600 employees. They too have no immediate staffing needs nor foresee any problems meeting these needs when they arise. Good Samaritan uses an agency to assist with job vacancies. Computer training would be helpful for all employees. Page 21

25 Kindred Hospital, NE, Stoughton, MA (781) Darlene Cunha, Chief Nursing Officer Kindred Hospital, NE has a staff of approximately 700 employees. They are in need of Critical Care RN s and ICU/CCU RN s. Problems they foresee filling these positions is applicant experience level. Experience is not always there. Kindred provides their own training in-house, for life support/cpr, and a critical care refresher program. Life Care Center, W. Bridgewater, MA (508) Alan Richman, Executive Director Life Care Center has 220 full-time and part-time employees. They are a bilingual staff using Portuguese to speak with patients and family members. They do not have any vacancies at this time. This facility recently won an award Employer of Choice and has very little employee turnover. The facility celebrated its 15 th anniversary and 80% of the original employees remain on staff. This is a wonderful milestone, however, it could cause staffing problems in the future as the group retires together leaving a large void in qualified staff. The Executive Director expressed an interest in training programs for LPN to RN and CNA to LPN. Neighborhood Health Center, Brockton, MA (508) Linda Gabrook, Chief Operating Officer The Neighborhood Health Center employees approximately 300 staff. Their staffing needs currently consist of LPN s, secretarial/support help, and a medical assistant. They foresee a shortage of RN s available for their facility in the future because of the low pay Brockton offers their RN s. Many RN s take a short train ride into Boston to receive better wages. To offset this, the facility offers their RN s a steady work schedule, tuition reimbursement and other generous benefits for attraction. Being bi-lingual is a requirement at Neighborhood Health Center. Patients speak Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese and Spanish. As far as training needs, they teach customer service themselves, but would be interested in some training for new supervisors. They promote from within and some new supervisors have never before been in a leadership position. West Acres Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, Brockton, MA (508) Kathy, HR Rep The West Acres Rehabilitation & Nursing Center employees 174 people. Their current staffing needs include two vacancies for CNA s. They do not foresee any problem filling these positions with walk-in and neighborhood applicants. They do not use an agency for staffing needs. They have an on-staff educator for training needs. Most employees are bi-lingual speaking French Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish. Note: For a variety of reasons, the following healthcare employers were unresponsive to the survey: New England Sinai Hospital, Stoughton, MA; Copley Healthcare Partnership, Stoughton, MA; V.A. Medical Center, Brockton, MA; Sachem Nursing/Rehabilitation Center, E. Bridgewater, MA; Signature Healthcare-Brockton Hospital, Brockton, MA; and St. Joseph Manor Healthcare, Inc., Brockton, MA. Page 22

26 Healthcare Vacancies Healthcare is one of the fastest growing industry sectors and will add the most jobs, expanding by 64,630 jobs during the projection period There is a growing concern in Southeastern Massachusetts, as expressed by both healthcare employers and trainers, about the current and projected shortages of healthcare workers in the community. According to the 2nd Quarter Job Vacancy Report published by the Department of Workforce Development, healthcare, the state s largest industry, posted an 11% gain in job vacancies over the year. Although this was a lower rate of increase than the statewide average of 45%, Healthcare continues to post more job vacancies than any other major industry, 13,376 as shown below in Table 16. Of these 13,376 statewide vacancies, 86% require related experience and 54% requires an Associate degree or higher. Table 16: Statewide Job Vacancies by Industry, 2 nd Quarter 2010 Job Vacancy Rate * % Private Sector % Requiring Associate's Degree or Higher % Requiring Related Experience % Providing Healthcare Benefits # of Job % Part- Industry Vacancies Time Total, All Industries 71, % 95% 41% 41% 65% 52% Healthcare and Social Assistance 13, % 99% 47% 54% 86% 66% In the Southeast region, 1,596 or 18% of the total job vacancies were for healthcare related jobs as shown below in Table 17. The higher vacancy rate for healthcare service jobs, both Statewide and in the Southeast region, as shown in Tables 16 and 17, indicates a higher demand which is growing. Table 17: Job Vacancies by Region and Industry, 2nd Quarter 2010 Massachusetts Job Vacancy Rate * Southeast Job Vacancy Rate Industry Title # of Job Vacancies # of Job Vacancies Total, All Industries 71, % 8, % Healthcare and Social Assistance 13, % 1, % * Job Vacancy Rate: Calculated by dividing the total number of job vacancies by the total number employed in the occupation Page 23

27 The New England Public Policy Center released a report in November, 2010 examining the Mismatch in the Labor Market: Measuring the Supply of and Demand for Skilled Labor in New England. Among the healthcare related findings: New England has experienced critical vacancies in a variety of occupations that employ a large share of both middle-skill and high-skill workers. For example, within healthcare, critical vacancies existed in occupations such as registered nurses, radiologic technicians, respiratory therapists, and sonographers. These are jobs that employ a high share of workers with only some college or an associate s degree. New England employers are willing to pay a premium for workers with any educational level past high school. This indicates the demand for such workers outpace the supply. The imbalance between the supply and demand for labor is greatest among middle-skill workers with some college or an associate s degree. Page 24

28 Section Conclusion Healthcare Industry in the Region Healthcare related jobs represent 16% of the total employment in the Brockton WIA region providing higher than average wages. Healthcare is projected to provide 38% of the new job growth statewide over the periods. The Southeastern Massachusetts region should anticipate a similar growth trend in its healthcare industry. In the most recent statewide data, June 2010 June 2011, healthcare represents 16% of the total employment and 26% of the job growth over the past year. Overall, Brockton wages are lower than the statewide average, but healthcare wages in Brockton are higher than the Brockton average wage for all employment. There is a wide variety of rewarding healthcare careers in the City of Brockton with an average salary ranging from $23,000 for Human Services Worker to $77,000 for a Health Services Administrator. It is important to remember that most job openings will be the result of replacement demand rather than job growth. These replacements will be associated with retirement, labor force withdrawal, and occupational changes. From a survey of healthcare related employers in the Southeast Service Area, the following conditions seem prevalent: There are very few healthcare job vacancies currently available at many of the facilities in the Brockton Workforce Area who participated in the survey. RNs and LPNs are always in demand, while positions are available for CNAs, physical and occupational therapists, and a medical assistant. All the facilities readily fill vacant positions with qualified people either from walk-in applicants or through an agency. Several facilities have minor training needs, however, most facilities who participated in this survey have in-house trainers for their staff. Some facilities lose their RNs to Boston hospitals where, after a short train ride, higher wages and career paths offer greater rewards than those offered in the Brockton area. Although longevity of dedicated staff is a statistic to be proud of, this may mean the staff will retire together possibly leaving a large replacement need in future staffing. Patient languages in local facilities include Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese and Spanish. Most facilities have bi-lingual staff members to handle language interpreting for patients or family members, and staff members. Some facilities require second language skills for new hires. Many of these facilities promote from within, supporting a career ladder philosophy. There is a growing concern in Southeastern Massachusetts, as expressed by both healthcare employers and trainers, about the current and projected shortages of healthcare workers in the community. Healthcare jobs represent 16% of the employment in the area, while healthcare workers represent only 4%-7% of the total unemployment claims for healthcare workers of total claimants. This suggests a higher demand for healthcare related positions even given current economic conditions. Page 25

29 New England has experienced critical vacancies in a variety of occupations that employ a large share of both middle-skill and high-skill workers. Notably within the healthcare industry this is especially true. Many of these jobs will employ a high share of workers with some college or an associate s degree. Page 26

30 HEALTHCARE TRAINING Education Requirements Education and training will play an increasingly prominent role for both current and future job seekers. More than half (60%) of all new jobs related to healthcare growth will require an Associate Degree or higher. While a Bachelor Degree may be preferable, it is important to recognize that some form of postsecondary education will be essential for those seeking a rewarding career in healthcare with good pay and upward mobility. Certificate vs. Degree Programs - Vocational training offer students valuable training in specific areas with a certificate of completion awarded at the conclusion. Training is offered in a variety of formats: technical centers, community colleges, on-line, private schools, and in-house seminars. The emphasis in vocational training is to get a student job-ready. If courses are desired to count toward a future degree, enrollment in a program at a college / community college is recommended. Many institutions are looking into dual enrollment programs which would allow easy transfer of credits between schools. These education and training paths lead to different career ladders and wage earning levels. A sampling of some high-wage healthcare occupations requiring a Bachelor degree or higher, as shown in the last column of Table 15, include: Cardiovascular Technician, Medical and Health Service Managers, Occupational Therapists, Physician and Surgeon Assistants, Physical Therapists, Registered Nurses, and Respiratory Therapists. A sampling of some average to lower-wage healthcare occupations requiring an Associate degree or lower, as shown in the last column of Table 15, include: Dental Assistants, Dental Hygienists, Sonographers, Dieticians, EMT s, LPN s, Medical Assistants, Lab Technicians, Record Technicians, Medical Secretaries, Home Health Aides, Orderlies and Aides, Occupational/Physical Therapy Assistants, Pharmacy Technicians Radiologic Technicians, Surgical Technologists, and Veterinary Technicians. Growth in healthcare jobs will require training and employment programs to prepare individuals for jobs that are currently and will be in demand. Table 18 illustrates that jobs with the largest amount of growth will require an Associate degree (15.3%). Postsecondary Vocational Training / Certificate programs will also see significant growth (9.8%) while traditional on-the-job training positions will decrease in demand. Page 27

31 Table 18 Source: LMI Brockton Profile, May 2010 Current Training Programs Available As the healthcare industry evolves, demand for educated healthcare workers in hospitals, physician offices, nursing homes and other healthcare settings is increasing. There are a variety of training programs serving these needs in the Southeast region training area. Table 19 displays a sampling of these healthcare related courses offered by numerous area educators. Table 19 Higher Education Bristol Community College Attleboro and New Bedford Healthcare Courses Offered Home Health Aide Training CPR / First Aid for Healthcare Professionals Personal Care Attendant Pharmacy Technician Program Phlebotomy Certificate Emergency Medical Technician Medical Coding Certificate Therapeutic Massage Certificate Pre-radiology Technology Physical & Occupational Therapy Assistant Healthcare Information Technologist Nursing Assistant Training for CNAs LPN to Nursing Surgical Technology Page 28

32 Brockton Higher Education Collaborative Brockton, MA Brockton Hospital School of Nursing Brockton, MA Fisher College University of Massachusetts Boston, MA Adult Basic Education (ABE) ESOL Nursing, in affiliation with Fisher College Medical Assistant Certificate Medical Coding Certificate Health Information Technology, Associate Degree Medical Assistant, Associate Degree HealthCare Management, Bachelor Degree Human Services, Bachelor Degree Nursing and Health Sciences BS, MS, PhD University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, MA Nursing, BS, MS, PhD. RN Refresher Medical Transcription Certificate EMT Preparation Certificate Massasoit Community College Brockton, MA Canton, MA Middleboro, MA Southeastern Regional Vo-Tech Inst. So. Easton, MA Trade School and Other Training Facilities Catholic Charities South Brockton, MA Nursing, Associates Radiologic Technology, Associates Respiratory Care, Associates Dental Assisting Certificate Medical Coding Certificate Phlebotomy Certificate Polysomnography (Sleep Tech) Certificate Medical Assistant Certificate EMT Basic Certificate Food Supervision in Healthcare Certificate Medical & Community Interpreting Certificate Ophthalmic Assistant Certificate Veterinary Assistant Certificate Pharmacy Technician Certificate MRI Registry Review Health Information Technician Billing and Insurance Lab Technician Certified Medical Assisting LPN ESOL Nursing Assistant Page 29

33 Healthcare Training Services Fall River, MA Lincoln Technical Institute Brockton, MA Porter & Chester Institute Canton, MA The Salter School Fall River, MA New Bedford, MA MA Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Brockton, MA Cardio-Phlebotomy Technician Nursing Assistant Home Health Aide Upgrade Patient Care Technician Dental Assistant EKG Technician Phlebotomy Technician Medical Assistant Pharmacy Technician Administrative Assistant Medical Billing Specialist Medical Office Professional Medical Assistant Medical Administration Massage Therapy Pharmacy Technician Administrative Health Dental Assisting Medical Assisting Dental Administrative Assistant Health Claims Specialist Massage Therapy Medical Assisting Medical Interpreter Training: Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Cape Verdean, Chinese, Creole, Gujarat/Hindi, Haitian, Japanese, Khmer, Sudanese dialects, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Healthcare Training Needs There are waiting lists at local healthcare training facilities for nursing and related healthcare programs. This is due primarily to the lack of qualified instructors as well as clinical placement sites. This situation was also noted in the Brockton Education & Workforce Training Task Force Report Draft, Spring One innovative solution to faculty shortage being tried at the University of Massachusetts Boston, College of Nursing and Health Sciences are Dedicated Education Units (DEUs). Staff nurses take on the role of clinical instructors for students in the nursing program. The school website calls the DEU approach a creative response to the education-practice gap. Another innovative approach utilized by the Oregon Consortium of Nursing Education (OCNE) is a partnership linking eight community colleges and five universities who have established common standards and share curriculum to better align continuous learning. Page 30

34 A telephone survey of the needs of healthcare training providers was conducted July, Information was discussed regarding employment supply and demand in the Southeast training area and if these providers feel their training is meeting these demands. A summary of comments from training facilitators follows. Massachusetts Area Health Education Center (AHEC), Lisa Morris AHEC offers Medical Interpreter Training. Lisa revealed that demand for their programs is interesting. Many companies do not hire their students into full-time positions but hire on a per-diem basis. Hiring into a full-time or part-time position is slow. Some companies require a certificate and experience to be considered for hire. There students achieve the certificate, but have difficulty acquiring the experience. AHEC suggests their students accept per-diem assignments to gain experience in the interpreting field. Students who complete the AHEC program receive a certificate of completion. They are not certified interpreters. As of January, 2011, a national certification exam has just become available. The exam consists of an oral and written section. The only language currently available to certify in is Spanish. Other languages will be rolled out over time. Lisa mentioned that demand for interpreter training depends on the refugee population coming into an area. Currently, the areas of Worcester, Lynn, Boston, and Springfield are seeing an influx of Nepali, Burmese, Karen, African, and a high Arabic population. Many of these populations are highly trained, some physicians and educators, who are seeking a certificate of completion as an interpreter in their native language. In the Southeast Massachusetts training area, the AHEC graduated a total of 241 students from their various locations this past year (July, 2010 June, 2011). Their Brockton facility successfully trained 45 interpreters in the languages of Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish. Of one class of 15 students, only 1 graduate was offered a full-time position, the others work per-diem. The AHEC keeps their class size small, accepting no more than 25 students per class, with an average class size of 15 students. Some people who are currently employed by local healthcare companies attend AHEC to earn an interpreter certificate. Many companies will, in turn, reward these employees with a pay increase or a promotion to use their newly acquired interpreting abilities. Lisa knows of two Brockton hospitals with this policy and assumes others do this as well. The interpreter certificate is allowing healthcare workers to advance up the career ladder. Students coming to any of the six regional locations of AHEC can utilize funding from MA Health. AHEC s website notes that their representatives visit elementary, middle and high schools exposing students, teachers, parents, and administrators to health career professions. Specific recruitment efforts focus on Latino and African American men and women interested in nursing. Their health care recruitment programs have been effective in making area children and faculty aware of the many rewarding career opportunities available to students in healthcare. Brockton Hospital School of Nursing / Fisher College, Sue Taylor, Dean BHSN offers a variety of certificate programs in healthcare. They offer a 2 year full-time, 4 year part-time nursing program awarding a diploma in nursing from BHSN. Eligible students also receive an Associate Degree in Science from Fisher College. 150 nursing students are accepted into their program each year, 100 daytime students and 50 evening students. BHSN cannot accept every student applicant to the program and does not feel it is appropriate to expand their program at this time. This is due to limitations acquiring qualified faculty, limited clinical placements, and a reduced number of RN jobs in the region. Students accepted into the program include high school graduates and for the last few years a number of non-traditional students such as men, adult learners and single parents. Sue mentioned there is national demand for RNs, however, in our area, not so much right now. BHSN does not offer placement for their students, but prepare them for the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN). Students apply for employment after successful completion of the NCLEX exam. The school surveys their graduates six months after graduating to obtain employment information. From their most recent graduating class, fewer students are employed than they d like to see. Sue said, this is similar to other programs in the neighborhood. She expects demand to increase over the next few years since nursing is cyclical. Lincoln Technical Institute Angela Corby, Executive Director Lincoln Tech ensured that their training institute provides training in topics that are in demand, meeting the current needs of the community. They are very excited to have two buildings in Brockton, MA. One, houses a brand new hands-on clinical laboratory. Inside there is a full massage clinic, mock-ups of doctor offices and hospital settings Page 31

35 where students are able to train. Students also assist at charitable events such as at the Boston Marathon. Enrollment data was not available during our phone conversation. The acceptance process at Lincoln Tech includes an application, an interview, and successfully passing an entrance exam. If students do not pass the entrance exam, Lincoln Technical Institute instructors will work with the student, at no cost, to help strengthen troubled areas. Lincoln Tech offers students full service placement services. They employ 5 full-time advisors to assist current students and past graduates locate jobs. Lincoln Tech is having great success placing their students in appropriate positions and currently notices a pickup in the economy, helping to increase placements. The Placement Office also offers their students instruction in interviewing techniques, resume writing, and basic soft skills. Massasoit Community College, Anne McNeil Massasoit spoke freely about their health related training courses, as listed in Table 19 above. Massasoit runs three nursing programs one daytime and two night programs for approximately students. Anne was excited to speak about a new clinical lab which will be added soon to the school. This lab is critically needed to support and expand their healthcare programs. Placement services are available for graduates of the nursing program with networks available across the United States. Anne noted very soon there will be a large increase in the age of our population which will require more healthcare workers and healthcare educators. Trained healthcare workers will be in high demand while, at that time, many RNs will be retiring. Massasoit offers courses on the Brockton and Canton campuses as well as now in Cape Cod, New Bedford, and Boston. They are not training in anyone else s territory since no one else is currently offering these exact programs. New to the healthcare related topics at Massasoit is Polysomnography (sleep technician) program, a Health Information Technician program which will blend the healthcare profession and the IT professional, and an evening program in Billing and Insurance. Bristol Community College, Mike Metzler, Director of New Bedford ehealth first began at Bristol Community College s New Bedford campus one year ago. These hybrid programs combine on-line training with traditional on campus learning. Students attend one day a week on the New Bedford campus where they meet with faculty members and complete their remaining instruction with an on-line component. Faculty support is available for students throughout their on-line component. Bristol will offer a Nursing ehealth component in Bristol is the first in the area to offer a nontraditional form of educating students with their on-line/on-campus programs. They believe the program format helps both underemployed and currently employed workers gain knowledge in healthcare courses. All healthcare students, including certificate trainings, have access to placement services. Bristol s New Bedford campus is easily assessable to the community and they only create programs based upon demand from the neighborhoods and believe they are meeting this demand. Excelsior School of Nursing, University of the State of New York Excelsior developed one of the first non-traditional nursing programs 35 years ago. Today, Excelsior offers assessment-based degrees in nursing at the associate, bachelor and master s levels offering an alternative educational approach to earning a degree in nursing to mature working professionals. What makes Excelsior s Nursing program different is that their program is designed for adult learners with healthcare experience such as current LPNs, paramedical or military corpsmen. Excelsior is proud of a proven high success rate with more than 36,000 RN graduates providing healthcare services in all 50 states. Current enrollment in their Associate Nursing program is 13,000 students. There is no classroom requirement for their programs. A student self-studies following a study guide provided by the school, listen to on-line conferences and lectures, practice on simulated clinical tests preparing them for their 2.5 hour in-hospital clinical exam. Nursing faculty is available for students for tutoring during their program. This innovative model of nursing has years of documented proven success. Their students pass national exams at rates which are consistently equal or better than the national average. Excelsior surveys employers of their students receiving high praise for their quality of work and caring attitudes with patients. This proven methodology allows for different learning styles and circumstances with high quality education and flexibility. Excelsior feels their program provides access to underserved groups such as minorities, males and older workers, and is helping to build a stronger, diverse workforce to meet the needs of the 21 st Century. Page 32

36 Career Ladders A career ladders typically describes the progression from entry level positions to higher levels of pay, skill, responsibility, or authority. In nursing, a career ladder pathway for upward mobility begins with a course study in practical nursing, earning an associate degree in nursing. The individual may then continue up the ladder, earning a bachelor of science, a masters and a doctoral degree in nursing. Career ladders can help healthcare workers obtain training and education to help them qualify for advancement. Signature Healthcare in Brockton, MA is utilizing a new Learning Management System (LMS) to track and coordinate all education and competency learning for their nurses. This web-based system will house all learning programs for current staff nurses and track their completion. Education and training is the key to advancement and required self discipline. Many career ladders allow workers in the healthcare setting to get education and skills training on the job, however new technology allows home study and on-line training. The following is a sample of healthcare career ladders from Boston s Brigham & Women s Hospital: Page 33

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39 Section Conclusion - Healthcare Training Education and training will play an increasingly prominent role for both current and future job seekers. As shown previously in Table 19, there are a variety of healthcare training programs available in the Southeast area of Massachusetts. While a Bachelor s Degree may be preferable, it is important to recognize that some form of postsecondary education will be essential for those seeking a rewarding career in healthcare with good pay and upward mobility. A variety of traditional and non-traditional training formats are available to get students job-ready such as technical centers, community colleges, on-line programs, private schools, and in-house trainings. These programs can provide wider access to underserved groups. They also allow for different learning styles with high quality and flexibility, building a stronger, diverse workforce to meet the needs of the 21 Century. These education and training paths lead to different career ladders and wage earning levels. A survey of healthcare training providers regarding employment supply and demand in the Southeast training area revealed the following issues: Effective communication is vital to healthcare. Medical interpreters provide linguistically appropriate services for patients with limited English proficiencies. Demand for interpreter training depends on the refugee population coming into the area. Interpreters in Brockton train in Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish. Interpreter certificates allow healthcare workers to advance up career ladders with many employers rewarding employees with increased pay or promotions. Healthcare recruitment programs are effective making area students and faculty (elementary to high school) aware of rewarding career opportunities available in healthcare. While nursing jobs statewide are projected to rise, demand in the Southeast training area is currently lagging due to current economic conditions. There are a limited number of students that can be accepted into nursing programs across the area due to constraints of acquiring qualified faculty and limited clinical placement. To help meet healthcare training demands, local education providers are currently expanding their clinical facilities and healthcare training program topics. Non-traditional programs can provide wider access to healthcare training. Career ladders can help healthcare workers obtain training and education to help them qualify for advancement. Page 36

40 FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations - Demographics The Brockton Workforce Area is a culturally and linguistically diverse region which manifests itself with a high percentage of foreign speaking and foreign-born/immigrants. Educational attainment lags across the area. In the City of Brockton, there are a high number of those with less than a high school diploma. This group on average receives higher than expected earnings creating a smaller premium paid for a high school diploma and provides less incentive for students to remain in school. In the long run, these students without a diploma miss the opportunity to advance up a career ladder. The unemployment rate in the Brockton Workforce Area is higher than reported statewide. The unemployment rate for the year old age group stands out as significantly higher. The Southeast area faces challenges of language barriers and low skill attainment. Services need to be strengthened to connect the community to educational providers, enabling them to be productive members of the labor force and attain economic self-sufficiency. With the high percentage of foreign speaking and foreign-born immigrants in the area, more ESOL training programs should be provided for limited English proficient individuals needing to improve their English language abilities. This training will help them begin a healthcare career or advance in their current careers and further education experiences. Without a significant investment in literacy, skills training, and education, many youth will not meet requirements needed by employers. An emphasis needs to be placed on the year old age group, or younger, encouraging students to remain in school and start developing pathways that lead to educational opportunities, employment prospects and a career path that results in positive outcomes. Perhaps the Southeast training region could utilize a program similar to Suffolk University s free College Success Academy. This pilot program will follow low-income children, many still learning English, from 5 th grade through high school promoting academic performance and life skills. Promote healthcare jobs in school with a realistic and clear career path. Make known healthcare is a career with good paying jobs as a reward. Send home healthcare career literature to parents in multi languages encouraging both parents and youth to be aware of these careers. Beyond English language needs and a high school diploma, the diverse population of the area will require training in life skills, job readiness and career skills, computer literacy, and basic skills in reading, writing, math and science to acquire jobs with sustainable wages in the healthcare profession. Page 37

41 Recommendations - Healthcare Industry in the Region Healthcare related jobs represent 16% of the total employment in the Brockton WIA region providing higher than average wages. In the most recent statewide data, June 2010 June 2011, healthcare represents 16% of the total employment and 26% of the job growth over the past year. In the Southeast Massachusetts region, new job growth should be anticipated in the healthcare industry offering a wide variety of rewarding careers. It is important to remember that many job openings will be the result of replacement demand such as retirement, labor force withdrawal, and occupational changes, rather than job growth. There is a growing concern in Southeastern Massachusetts, as expressed by both healthcare employers and trainers, regarding the projected shortages of healthcare workers in the community. Many of these healthcare jobs will require workers with some college or an Associate degree. A survey of healthcare related employers in the Southeast area found: there are limited healthcare job vacancies currently available with RNs and LPNs always in demand and some facilities lose their RNs to Boston Hospitals for higher wages. Most local facilities have bi-lingual staff members. Some employers require second language skills for new hires, many facilities have in-house training staff, and support a career ladder philosophy. Our aging population is going to affect both the demand and supply of healthcare workers. While an increasing number of healthcare workers will retire, reducing supply, the number of people over age 65 will increase demand for healthcare services. Employers need to promote healthcare careers by school-to-career programs, job shadowing and open houses. Other examples to promote healthcare careers would be to better utilize community services, social networking, multi-lingual resources, work with local cable stations, encourage mentoring opportunities, and have a central location for job opportunities in healthcare jobs. Another possible strategy would be to better connect employers with their local Massachusetts One-Stop Career Center to match qualified unemployed workers with healthcare training and careers. This could produce trackable successful outcomes for both the unemployed and healthcare providers. Career ladders can help healthcare workers obtain training and education to help them qualify for advancement. Employers need to continue providing in-house training to staff, utilizing both traditional and nontraditional methods of instruction such as web-based learning, assessment based learning, and Learning Management Systems, for example. These non-traditional formats benefit both employers and employees allowing greater flexibility with scheduling and family responsibilities. With a multi-culturally diverse population, some facilities are requiring second language skills for new hires. Teaching foreign speakers English, along with healthcare job specific terminology and Page 38

42 practices, will better qualify these individuals for healthcare careers. Career Centers or others could offer customized training programs designed specifically for healthcare occupations, such as: ESOL for Healthcare Occupations, Math for Healthcare, English Proficiency for Healthcare, and Customer Service for Healthcare, for example. Use bi-lingual skills as an advantage, leading to positions as interpreters in a healthcare setting. Page 39

43 Recommendations - Healthcare Training Education and training will play a prominent role for healthcare job seekers in the Southeast area of Massachusetts. The area already offers a large selection of training facilities as well as a variety of training formats such as the traditional classroom and new methods such as e-learning which combines on-line training with traditional on-campus learning, Learning Management Systems (LMSs), etc., from which to choose. These education and training paths offer opportunities to advance up career ladders and wage earning levels. Some form of post-secondary education will be essential for those seeking a rewarding career in healthcare with good pay and upward mobility. Healthcare recruitment programs are effective making area students and faculty (elementary to high school) aware of rewarding career opportunities available in healthcare. While nursing jobs statewide are projected to rise, demand in the Southeast training area is currently lagging. There are a limited number of students that can be accepted into nursing programs across the area due to constraints of acquiring qualified faculty and limited clinical placement. To help meet healthcare training demands, local education providers are currently expanding their clinical facilities and healthcare training program topics in both traditional settings and on-line formats. Students need to be aware that vocational training offering certificates or Associate degrees will make rewarding healthcare career paths available to them. Increase insertion of pre-healthcare courses into high school curriculum, and support job fairs promoting healthcare related careers. Aligning schools with employers in job shadowing and mentoring programs are also beneficial to exposing students to future healthcare careers. Students need to be aware of the many formats beyond traditional classroom models available to them to acquire education for a healthcare career. Beyond certificate and Associate degree programs students may advance up a career ladder by pursuing additional education through innovative partnerships. Examples of these partnerships with aligned curriculum include: Massasoit s partnership with Nichols College, and Brockton Hospital s School of Nursing partnership with Fisher College. To meet the growing demand for a highly-educated nursing workforce, different types of nursing education beyond traditional models will need to be developed and supported. Many current nursing programs are reluctant to consider non-traditional educational models. Nontraditional educational models need to be supported for nursing programs. Examples include: on-line models such as Bristol Community Colleges ehealth, the Excelsior School of Nursing Model, and Learning Management Systems model which supports career ladders, for example. Page 40

44 According to the Council for Adult Experiential Learning, nursing schools lack the capacity to take on increasingly larger numbers of students. Many qualified applicants are turned away due to lack of faculty. This shortage of teachers is contributing to an overall shortage in nursing school graduates. One possible solution to the faculty shortage would be adopt the innovative approach UMass Boston is implementing, Dedicated Education Units (DEUs) where staff nurses take on the role of clinical instructors for students in the nursing program. There is much redundancy of healthcare training programs offered in the area. Better collaboration and less competition among community colleges, both internally and externally is essential providing strategic direction, achieve common goals and make better use of limited resources as the Oregon Consortium of Nursing Education (OCNE) did linking eight community colleges and five universities with common standards and shared curriculum to better align continuous learning. Further collaboration efforts amongst community colleges could include sharing Bristol s ehealth training module allowing students from neighboring community colleges to participate. This collaborative approach would allow broader access for students and better use of limited faculty and resources. Greater communication between employers that hire healthcare workers and the institutions that educate them could better align training curriculum with employer needs. Page 41

45 Closing Remarks The purpose of this report was to identify critical healthcare workforce issues to allow BAWIB and partners to address healthcare disparities to meet the unique needs of their diverse training communities. Topics analyzed included Demographics, Healthcare in the Region, and Healthcare Training. Conclusions and recommendations were based upon the strengths and weakness revealed in these areas. Any effort to promote healthcare careers in the Southeastern Massachusetts region needs to begin by addressing the challenges of language barriers and low educational attainment in this culturally diverse demographic. BAWIB should target programs to help those with limited English proficiency develop the skills they need to advance into healthcare careers. Programs should integrate basic education, including ESOL, with work-related instruction. An emphasis needs to be placed on the year old age group who need to be encouraged to pursue post-secondary education developing realistic career pathways for them. The healthcare industry represents a significant and growing portion of employment in the region. Employers need to promote healthcare careers by better connecting with the community. This includes reaching out to students, aligning career needs with schools of higher education, and better matching of qualified unemployed workers with healthcare related careers. Employers need to continue providing training, utilizing both traditional and non-traditional methods assisting healthcare workers move up career ladders. There is a wide variety of healthcare training available in the area. To meet the growing demand, nontraditional educational models need to be supported for nursing programs reducing the strain on the limited number of nursing faculty. Better collaboration and communication between employers that hire healthcare workers and the institutions that educate them could better align training curriculum with employer needs. Page 42

46 Sources Cited in BAWIB Analysis Report American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates , Employment Status BAWIB, Report of the Current Education & Training Opportunities for Brockton s Healthcare Workforce, June, 2011 BAWIB, ITA / WIB Approval Status Detail, Workforce Investment Area: Brockton, Retrieved 6/12/2011 Brockton Education & Workforce Training Task Force Report Draft, Spring 2010 Detma.org CareerMoves Health Indeed.com Klein-Collins, Rebecca, Strategies to Produce New Nurses for a Changing Profession. Council for Adult and Experiential Learning. Local Area Unemployment, April, 2010 MA Department of Workforce Development, Regional LMI Profile, Brockton Workforce Area, May, 2010 MA Department of Workforce Development, Regional LMI Profile, New Bedford Workforce Area, May, 2010 MA Department of Workforce Development, Regional LMI Profile, Fall River Workforce Area, May, 2010 MA Department of Workforce Development, Division of Career Services, Economic Analysis Office, Massachusetts Employment Projections MA Department of Workforce Development 2 nd Qtr Job Vacancy Report A-1 MA Department of Workforce Development, Massachusetts Job Vacancy Survey, Hiring Trends by Industry and Occupation, 2 nd Quarter, 2010 MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, Largest 100 Employers in Brockton WIA, MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, Employment Projections MA Healthcare Schools & Colleges / Career Training, Retrieved from Mismatch in the Labor Market: Measuring the Supply of and Demand for Skilled Labor in New England By Alicia Sasser Modestino - New England Public Policy Center, November 2010 Salary.com Spence, Robin, December 2010, Sound Investments: Building Immigrants Skills to Fuel Economic Growth U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economy at a Glance, Massachusetts, Nov 2010 April 2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economy at a Glance, Brockton, Bridgewater, Easton, Nov 2010 April 2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages, Healthcare Chartbook, 2005 U.S. Census Bureau, American FactFinder, Brockton, 2009 Page 43

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