News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
If you think you’re seeing a lot of help wanted signs, you are right.
Highlands Economic Partnership reported up to 10,000 jobs currently in Jackson, Overton, Putnam and White Counties.
Economic Development Director Rod Kirk said there are lots of opportunity for industries to expand in the counties, but companies cannot fill the positions.
“It even goes out to the grant processes that we talked about a little earlier,” Kirk said. “They get workforce grants with the state. They’re supposed to meet these job commitments and they have the positions and they have the marketed place, but they can’t find the jobs. It’s impacting a lot of things.”
Kirk said he has conducted several site visits with companies that usually turn into listening sessions about workforce issues. Kirk said a challenge the partnership faces is balancing recruiting while committing to workforce woes of existing industries.
Cookeville Regional Medical Center among those with several job openings. Chief Strategy Officer Ricky Shelton said over 400 jobs are currently available. The city of Cookeville and Putnam County also reported several openings
“If you look, I watch the jobsfortn website a lot,” County Mayor Randy Porter said. “There’s what? About four job openings for every unemployed person right now.”
The numbers were shared during a Joint Economic Community Development Board meeting Tuesday.
