State of the Workforce: Millions could be jobless over next 10 years
More than 350 employers, board members, employees, and community partners heard a dire warning about the future of employees during Monday’s “State of the Workforce” event hosted by the Pikes Peak Workforce Center.
A speech was given by Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers and another keynote speaker. He says this is an important meeting to have in El Paso County to discuss job opportunities within the area.
“We’ve got to make sure that our folks in Colorado Springs have the skills to meet whatever new job demands take place. That’s why the workforce center is very important,” said Suthers.
Suthers says he and his administration have helped create thousands of jobs, saying, “We’ve had 7,500 new jobs a year for the last four years and those are relatively high-paying jobs. The median salary for a posted job is $80,000.”
But there is a catch. With many of those jobs in specialized fields, very few people meet the qualifications to apply.
“Unfortunately, we can’t fill all those jobs with the folks looking for work here … the people looking don’t fill all of the qualifications for those jobs,” said Suthers.
Looking into the future, Keynote Speaker Josh Davies paints a harsh reality for the future of technology, which could replace millions of workers.
“It’s estimated by 2030 that 75 million people will be displaced and it’s estimated that 166 million jobs will change. So, what we have to do is prepare now for the coming reality of tomorrow,” said Davies.
Davies is referring to the jobs that could be lost due to automation in the workforce.
As Suthers seeks re-election, what does he plan to do for the workforce?
“My job to the extent I can is to continue to facilitate job creation. Get the companies here to expand and attract some new companies to town,” Suthers said.
