NASHVILLE – A new report released by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) highlights jobs in high demand across Tennessee, including occupations in finance and technology, headquarters, automotive, distribution and logistics and other target industry clusters.
The Labor and Education Alignment Program (LEAP) report calls attention to occupations that are strategically important to the growth of the state economy and to TNECD’s expansion and recruitment efforts. In addition, STEM occupations with high employer demand are also indicated throughout the report.
“Employers continue to look for workers to fill highly-skilled positions in a variety of industries,” TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe said. “In order to sustain and build upon Tennessee’s strong workforce, we need to continue to educate and train Tennesseans for the jobs businesses are seeking to fill, particularly in highly-skilled occupations. The LEAP report provides information to help stakeholders from across the state better align education and industry to help maintain a steady pipeline of skilled workers.”
This year’s report also addresses potential new trends that could emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and includes a new section highlighting where in-demand positions intersect with high levels of unemployment claims in 2020, as reported by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
For each region of Tennessee, approximately 60 to 100 occupations that businesses need to fill are identified in the report. The study analyzes key metrics such as median wage, online job postings, hires and projected job openings.
The LEAP report seeks to assist local, regional and state policy decision-makers and outlines areas for increased alignment between education and industry.
The Center for Economic Research in Tennessee (CERT) partnered with researchers from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to evaluate in-demand jobs. THEC’s Academic Supply and Occupational Demand Report, released annually in January, will build upon the results of this study and include supporting programs of study offered at Tennessee’s colleges and universities.
The 2020 LEAP report is available for download here. The results can also be accessed through an interactive dashboard available here.
