THE JOB SEARCH:
WHO IS HIRING IN THIS AREA? By Carrie Vittitoe
H
istorically, some years have been harder than others to find a job. For example, the bursting of the housing bubble in 2008 wreaked havoc on job seekers for a time. In 2020, COVID-19 has changed everything, including the industries that are hiring and the ways in which people find and acquire jobs. WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE UP AND DOWN Most people are fairly aware of the industries that have been hardest hit by COVID-19 as a result of physical distancing restrictions: restaurants, hotel management, resorts and travel, event planning, and the performing arts. But there is another hidden part of the economy that has also been impacted. “Industries that cater to those [industries] — their distributors and suppliers, the whole supply chain — [has been] hit as well,” says University of Louisville Associate Professor of Economics Joshua Pinkston, Ph.D. While it is clear that bands and musicians have been impacted by COVID-19, the individuals and businesses that support bands and musicians, such as stagehands, merchandise vendors, and stadium custodial staff, have also been negatively impacted by the lack of live shows. Tammy Meredith, an executive career coach based in Louisville, says despite the hard-hit industries, there are some sectors of the economy that are doing well and hiring. “It’s not all doom-and-gloom. Anything cloud-based technology is number one. Even market research is big,” she says. Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, chief of Louisville Forward, says Kentuckiana’s strong base of legacy industries, such as health care, logistics, and business services, is holding its own even in the pandemic.
26
October 2020 / TodaysWomanNow.com
Of course, rates of COVID-19 can and will continue to impact businesses, including the ones that are doing well now. “The disease is driving the bus when it comes to long-term impact at this point. One of my concerns is that the U.S. has wasted its lockdown. We opened up in ways that we knew were bad ideas,” Joshua says. “I don’t have a crystal ball, but I’m not hugely optimistic going into the fall or winter.”
GETTING TECHNOLOGY-SAVVY As everything has moved online in the wake of physical distancing, the key to finding a job lies a great deal in the skills job seekers bring to the business. “The key is you’ve got to have your technology skills, [but] it doesn’t mean you have to be a programmer or developer,” Tammy says. For the past several years, there have been a number of groups and businesses focused on helping individuals get the credentials and badges they need in order to find and retain technology jobs. Code Louisville is one such training program. Another is Louisville Work Initiative, which in partnership with Microsoft, offers information to interested job seekers and career changers. At futurelou.com, individuals can find free online training for data analysis, digital marketing, software engineering, and user experience design. “I am so thrilled how far ahead we have been as a city,” Mary Ellen says. PAGE 28 >>
