Employee shortages in Colorado

[UEHelp]

Hmm, sounds like California. Two-class society, high COL, low wages.

While the articles make it sound like there's an employee shortage, that's not what I hear from people on the ground who are mid to senior level, white collar employees. Especially those over 40.

[john-staten island]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Shhh... Denver people won't want to hear this

Due to demand... Colorado will likely stay high for housing and low for wages, as we (USA) move to a 2 class society.

People do what they must (2-3 jobs for each wage earner) to stay in CO and live the dream (fighting to find open space in their free time).

The WINNERS are the transplants (or locals) that come with RE equity money (or inherited homes) and an income source not requiring employment in CO (investments / retirement / online businesses)).

Colorado can work OK for those who are so equipped

And THAT can contribute to "Employee Shortages in Colorado", Imagine how it will be in 20 yr... similar but worse (eldercare positions available, but no takers, due to high cost of living). Robots? possibly. Only requires a FEW skilled workers to keep the 'bots' running, but much of that can be done 'on-line' from India.

Food and water shortages might be more likely.

I would advise more gun control

Yep, Well said and it's happening in lots of places not just Colorado. Seems like no matter where I go in NYC there's a Help Wanted sign in the windows of restaurants, & retail stores.Skilled trades are begging for help on places like Craigslist. It's an Employee's market, employers if able take a financial hit to boost wages, & benefits just to find someone. I think it's a combination of an older workforce like me that have a pension, SS, etc. that don't need the hassle unless it suits us. Lack of training for skilled workforce trades. Lots of 4 yr degrees working at Starbucks because Liberal Arts was maybe the wrong choice. Job hopping, take an entry level job and immediately find a better job. The good news is industry is working with Community Colleges to train workers for today's needs, wages are being forced to rise, some workers like me will come off the bench at some point. Denver like NYC will adapt or keep posting signs in windows for help. Unfortunately Housing costs are a lot to blame for lack of help in cities like NY & Denver..

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by AsFarSouthAsSouthGoes

^^^This! It is absolutely insane for employers to offer employees $10 per hour in a town where the median house value is $420,000.

Especially when the minimum wage is $10.20/hr.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/minimumwage

[CoteauKid]

Originally Posted by Count David

We're thinking of moving some of our call-center operations out of Denver/CO for many of the reasons already mentioned here.

Take a look at South Dakota, in particular some of the smaller cities (15000-30000 people). Thousands of call center jobs have vanished from here in the last 10 years via mergers/offshoring/technology. People here are likely more friendly and hard-working than a lot of other places, or at least that's what I encountered back when I was in the call center biz. You may find less of the entitlement attitude as well though I would say that's more generational than geographical.

Pro tip: Move your headquarters here (just on paper) with your B&M call center and skip out on that pesky corporate income tax. Then buy yourself a boat.

[flyingcat2k]

Originally Posted by john-staten island

Yep, Well said and it's happening in lots of places not just Colorado. Seems like no matter where I go in NYC there's a Help Wanted sign in the windows of restaurants, & retail stores.Skilled trades are begging for help on places like Craigslist. It's an Employee's market, employers if able take a financial hit to boost wages, & benefits just to find someone. I think it's a combination of an older workforce like me that have a pension, SS, etc. that don't need the hassle unless it suits us. Lack of training for skilled workforce trades. Lots of 4 yr degrees working at Starbucks because Liberal Arts was maybe the wrong choice. Job hopping, take an entry level job and immediately find a better job. The good news is industry is working with Community Colleges to train workers for today's needs, wages are being forced to rise, some workers like me will come off the bench at some point. Denver like NYC will adapt or keep posting signs in windows for help. Unfortunately Housing costs are a lot to blame for lack of help in cities like NY & Denver..

This is why we need to get away from College Is The Answer For Everything. If someone wants to work with their hands, they don't need a 4 year degree in English to get into an apprentice program. It's time to put shop classes back into the schools. An electronics shop class would be great since those classes could be for engineering or the trades.