The Struggle to Fill Jobs In the current environment, filling jobs can be a challenge. Employers-including those here in Columbia and Greene Counties-are facing significant worker shortages. Many are struggling to hire people, especially at the entry level-in construction, nursing, and manufacturing. The skills gap is a big obstacle. In 2020, more than half of available job seekers in Columbia and Greene Counties had a high school diploma or less, and only a quarter had an associate degree or higher.1 Employers, especially those in trucking and the trades, grapple with developing a pipeline of skilled workers. An aging population is another issue. Over the past 20 years, the size of the workforce here has declined as the population has stagnated. Residents here are older-the median age is late 40s, as opposed to late 30s for all of New York State. In some cases, residents don't need more training-they need retraining so they can obtain new jobs. 1/3  BIS - Central bankers' speeches  The Jenga Tower Whenever I talk about economic prosperity, I like to use the analogy of a Jenga tower: Each piece is critical to the stability of the whole. Take one piece out, and the tower becomes unstable. Take the wrong piece out, and the whole tower can collapse. Our Jenga tower encompasses a whole host of important pieces. Job training is one. Workers need skills that employers are looking for, and job training needs to be accessible. Transportation is another.
4 Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Employer Engagement by Community Colleges  in New York State, November 2018. 5 Andrew Dumont, Investing in Rural Prosperity: A Framework for Advancing Economic  Resilience and Opportunity, May 19, 2022. 3/3  BIS - Central bankers' speeches