Each year, SAWDC conducts a comprehensive industry survey, which allows us to ensure that strategic objectives are aligned with industry needs.   This year, twenty-two employers representing 33,960 employees responded to the 2015 Year End Industry Survey .  Employers reported a need for 4,851 new skilled workers over the next 12 months. Although employers indicated a slight improvement in the quality, stability, and availability of the workforce, the percentage of qualified candidates for entry level positions remained low (20% or approximately one in five applicants). 

Over 80% of the employers who responded confirmed having recruitment problems with one-quarter noting that unfilled positions were increasing. When asked if the recruitment problems were limited to the community or the industry itself, one-half of the employers indicated the problem was industry-wide while a quarter indicated that challenges were community specific. As a result, close to half of the employers had increased their investment in training.

On Thursday, December 10th, SAWDC and the Central Gulf Industrial Alliance (CGIA) held a joint Quarterly Council and General Membership meeting with over  100 guests in attendance. The meeting, held at the Gulf Quest National Maritime Museum, included dinner, catered by Naman's Catering, and a time for networking.  

SAWDC reports included the National Fund evaluation results and recommendations presented by consultant, Steve Quimby, and a recap of the 2015 SAWDC Worlds of Opportunity by Larry Mouton with the Mobile County Public School System. CGIA updates included the presentation of CGIA Silver endorsement to AIDT's pipe fitting program followed by the CGIA wage survey presented by Alpha Resources. Keynote speaker, Dr. Semoon Chang with the Gulf Coast Center for Impact Studies spoke on the impact of the  economy on workforce devel opment. 

CGIA awards AIDT Maritime Training Center's pipe fitting

program with a silver endorsement