REGIONAL CHALLENGES

Limited Workforce

Lack of Childcare

Options and Availability

Limited Access to Broadband

Reduction in Coal Industry Jobs

Affordable Housing Need

Limited Public Transportation

Options

Changes in Business Operations

Keeping People in the Region After High School

Hurdles to Overcome in Training

Adults for New Skills

Health Care Availability and Mental Health Care Desert

Lack of Childcare Options and Availability

Prior to the pandemic, childcare options were limited in the region because of challenges associated with the cost of childcare and the struggle to find adequate staff. Many families relied on schools to provide childcare before, during, and after the school day. During the first few months of the pandemic, school closures left parents with virtually zero options for childcare. The childcare providers themselves faced temporary closures with many at-home providers not able to reopen. With the lack of childcare available in the region, many parents were prevented from returning to the workplace. The lack of childcare options also creates real challenges in attracting new workers and residents to the area.

Limited Access to Broadband

Many areas of the region are underserved, or have no service at all, by broadband infrastructure. This creates hardships for rural residents which worsened during stay-athome work orders. This included challenges for people working from home but also school children who were required to attend online learning. Although the region continues to expand its broadband infrastructure, it must continue to be a priority in order to ensure equitable access across the region.

Reduction in Coal Industry Jobs

Although not created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the planned reduction in coal industry jobs is now at a critical level for the region. A large workforce with specialized skills will now need to learn new skills or find different industries to apply their skills. This is a challenge for the region that needs to be addressed to avoid people moving from the region to find jobs in other locations. There is also an opportunity to teach this workforce new skills which can help alleviate the open positions within existing industries.

Affordable Housing Needs

A barrier to attracting new workers and families to the region has been the limited and aging supply of housing. Limits in housing create limits for the region to capitalize on remote work trends and restrictions for existing businesses to grow. Figure 2.13 illustrates the age of the housing stock across the region.

Limited Public Transportation

The IND15RPC region is largely rural. Because of the spread-out nature of the area, public transportation options are limited. Most public transportation options center around medical needs and getting those who cannot drive, or do not drive to doctor appointments. The limited number of users in each smaller town or city within the region creates challenges with providing a sustainable service. However, many of the lower wage jobs within the region create challenges for workers who aren’t able to own a car and can’t find suitable housing within walking distance of their jobs creating the need for public transportation for these workers.

Changes in Business Operations

The pandemic brought about changes in how businesses operate with some of these changes becoming the new norm. These include shortened business hours created by lack of staff, reduction in manufacturing due to material shortages, and limits to the tourism season. Although some of these changes will correct themselves as the pandemic fades, changes in society are often seen after major upsets like pandemics and may result in permanent changes to how businesses operate.

Keeping People in the Region

One of the major issues, which was the topic of conversation in many of the meetings, was the need to keep people in the region after high school. The IND15RPC region has seen a steady flow of residents flowing out of the area at a higher rate than those flowing in. The region recognizes the need to work together to provide quality of life improvements along with creating new housing and innovative jobs in the region.

New Skills Training for Adults

Many of the workforce training programs that have been implemented in the region, and have seen much success, are centered around high school and college-age training opportunities. More recent efforts have focused on providing training for incumbent workers. However, there have been many challenges with reaching and attracting workers to participate in these training programs.

Health Care and Mental Health Care Islands

The IND15RPC region is underserved in terms of mental and behavioral health care. There is an urgent need for these services as communities deal with the effects of the pandemic, a drug epidemic, and uncertainties relating to jobs and economic stability. This need was urgent before the pandemic and was only made worse by the issues and struggles that people were dealing with during the pandemic.