A recent survey of Southwest Florida employers has yielded a website that provides local jobseekers and employers with a wealth of job market information and online tools.
The survey, which was sponsored by the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board and conducted by ERISS Corporation, was the largest study of Southwest Florida employers ever conducted. During the survey, contact was attempted with all Southwest Florida employers with 10 or more employees. More than 6500 local employers were contacted with an anticipated 25-30% response rate.
The results of the survey are available at www.usworks.com/southwestflorida. This web application provides a dynamic environment in which site visitors can select occupations and industries they would like to review information on. The information presented at www.usworks.com/southwestflorida provides an accurate forecast of Southwest Florida's future job growth and salary ranges for specific occupations.
The focus of this landmark project was to gather information and develop resources that assist Southwest Florida jobseekers and employers.
"In the current economy, employers are having more and more difficulty finding good people with the job skills they need," said Joe Paterno, Executive Director of the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board.
"The data from this survey will allows us to do a better job of matching employers with qualified job candidates and determine which training programs should receive priority."
The Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board contracted ERISS Corporation to conduct the survey. K.D. Nyegaard, president of ERISS, states that all wage and salary information the website produced with the survey information, http://www.usworks.com/southwestflorida is a comprehensive tool that will serve Southwest Florida's employers and jobseekers.
Site visitors will be able to review average salaries, hiring trends, Industry supply and demand, the fastest growing occupations, the occupations in the most demand, and much more.
ERISS, a leading provider of job market information and web applications, has conducted similar projects across the United States.
"This was the largest job market survey of its kind ever conducted in Southwest Florida," said Paterno. " As a result, local workforce development agencies, employers, job seekers and training providers will be provided with by far the largest database ever assembled of current, local information on which jobs are in demand and which are not, what they pay, and where they are located geographically."
"This in turn will help foster a significantly more efficient environment in local school-to-work, work-to-work and welfare-to-work programs where job seekers can spend less time finding gainful employment, employers will have an easier time finding qualified applicants, and schools will train more people for jobs that are in demand," said Paterno. Employers interested in more information on the survey or website are encouraged to call Tracy Lansberry, Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board (239)992-8000.
