Milwaukee Commerce - Winter 2022

How MMAC helps your business meet talent challenges

By: Tim Sheehy MMAC President

We’ve heard it from you consistently for several years now: A lack of candidates to fill open positions has risen to become the No. 1 challenge facing most businesses today.

It started before the pandemic, intensified remarkably during the “Great Resignation,” and shows relatively few signs of easing up -- even amid significant economic uncertainty.

And we know these issues won’t fix themselves. If anything, they’re going to become more challenging: Migration to the Milwaukee Region has been relatively flat in recent years, and our population is aging. A recent report by Forward Analytics, the research division of the Wisconsin Counties Association, found that the number of working-age residents in our state will decline by about 130,000 by 2030.

As always, MMAC is here to support you in this historically challenging environment.

In this issue of Milwaukee Commerce, we provide an overview of our ever-broadening capabilities to help you and your business address talent challenges.

It all starts with data: We’ve made a significant investment in a proprietary labor market data tool through Lightcast, the global leader in labor market analytics. You’ll have the opportunity to see how we can apply that data inside this issue.

It continues with relationships: We work with you as employers to stay on top of trends and discern best practices, with K-12 and higher education institutions to inspire the next generation and help align curriculum with future skills needs, and with business leaders and elected officials to ensure that Milwaukee can compete as a destination for talented employees. This, of course, includes a unique effort to attract, retain and advance employees from diverse backgrounds through our Region of Choice initiative.

Ultimately, the knowledge we uncover and the relationships we build directly benefit you, our members. Read the remainder of this issue to find out more about how you can participate.