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The job situation largely depends on the type of job. Because metro Pittsburgh's population has been decreasing, that acts as a drag on the creation of population-dependent jobs -- jobs like bankers, accountants, teachers and retail workers, among others. On the other hand, the rate of population-independent job growth -- jobs like research scientists, engineers and web designers, among others -- has been nearly twice the national average.
The bad news is, about 70 percent of all jobs created in the U.S. are population-dependent, and this is why Pittsburgh's overall job growth is below the national average in spite of its well-above-average rate of population-independent job growth.
The good news is, population-independent jobs are more likely to be highly-skilled, require a graduate or professional degree, and have higher average salaries. This is why Pittsburgh is getting smarter in spite of getting smaller, and also why it's a leader in income growth in spite of being a laggard in overall job growth.
Wouldn't also an increasing number of jobs be less population-dependant over time? I know engineering has gone that way going from dealing with local projects to being able to consult on projects you might rarely see in person. Although over time these population-independant jobs that are created will need the other types in their personal lives. Also wouldn't an aging workforce need to have larger numbers of replacments for retiring workers?
Wouldn't also an increasing number of jobs be less population-dependant over time? I know engineering has gone that way going from dealing with local projects to being able to consult on projects you might rarely see in person. Although over time these population-independant jobs that are created will need the other types in their personal lives. Also wouldn't an aging workforce need to have larger numbers of replacments for retiring workers?
Pittsburgh is bound to have a workforce shortage soon. The problem will be finding people to fill the job openings. Regarding those ~22,000 current job openings, many of the employers have said that most of the applicants have been unqualified for them, and when they've taken their recruiting efforts nationally, most people don't want to move to Pittsburgh from elsewhere, which strikes me as narrow-minded, especially with the condition of the national economy. It's a Catch-22.
Pittsburgh is bound to have a workforce shortage soon. The problem will be finding people to fill the job openings. Regarding those ~22,000 current job openings, many of the employers have said that most of the applicants have been unqualified for them, and when they've taken their recruiting efforts nationally, most people don't want to move to Pittsburgh from elsewhere, which strikes me as narrow-minded, especially with the condition of the national economy. It's a Catch-22.
I remember seeing articles in the St. Louis newspaper saying the same thing is going to happen soon. A big factor is the total number of working-age people will start declining leaving holes in the labor market. Part of the problem is many of the places where these shortages exist might have reputation issues.
Look how successful Toronto is, just being across the lake from Buffalo. There's definitely hope for rust belt cities, they just have to find their niche.
The only thing Toronto has in common with the Rust Belt cities is it's location on the Great Lakes. If you want to see a more comparable Canadian city, take a look at Hamilton (formerly billed as the "Pittsburgh of Canada".
The only thing Toronto has in common with the Rust Belt cities is it's location on the Great Lakes. If you want to see a more comparable Canadian city, take a look at Hamilton (formerly billed as the "Pittsburgh of Canada".
Yes, many parts of the Rust Belt are already economically stable (such as Pittsburgh and Milwaukee) compared with Florida and Arizona whose economies were for the most part just based on people moving there or visiting there.
Yes, many parts of the Rust Belt are already economically stable (such as Pittsburgh and Milwaukee) compared with Florida and Arizona whose economies were for the most part just based on people moving there or visiting there.
This actually is something that isn't mentioned much but is starting to get around. That many most areas in or near the Rust Belt are stable now and many Sun Belt areas look more like the former, though it is a little too early to tell if it is a sign of longer term decline or only temporary. If it is longer you will likely start hearing the term Dust Belt to describe those places.
Interesting fact, Detroit's unemployment is currently falling, Big 3 autos just surpassed foreign in reliability, and Nevada now has the worst economy of any state!
This actually is something that isn't mentioned much but is starting to get around. That many most areas in or near the Rust Belt are stable now and many Sun Belt areas look more like the former, though it is a little too early to tell if it is a sign of longer term decline or only temporary. If it is longer you will likely start hearing the term Dust Belt to describe those places.
And add to that the fact that the "Rust Belt" cities have no water issues/shortages (Great Lakes, etc.) like the areas of the desert and parts of the South during summertime.
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