Throughout 2023, we have taken on the challenges of workforce acquisition, retention and growth. In our two previous newsletters, we focused on addressing your region's workforce needs for a new or expanding industry and the importance of skill capabilities. Now, we delve into our final question: | |
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CAN YOUR REGION ENSURE A STEADY PIPELINE FOR YEARS TO COME?
Weyerhaeuser, along with VisionFirst Advisors, tackles this question for its supersites.
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Having a strong pipeline of workers ensures sustained longevity. Our review of educational attainment and other key demographics indicates how the region will continue to replace retired workers, as well as manage new industry expansions. Here are two approaches Weyerhaeuser uses to examine the talent pipeline for our three industrial sites. | |
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I. AWARDS, CERTIFICATES AND DEGREES
To promote the positive educational attributes of each Weyerhaeuser industrial site, we evaluate emerging talent pipelines. This evaluation includes a) high school graduation rates; and b) post-secondary institutions offering career training programs and workforce development initiatives, for both overall and specific CTE (Career and Technical Education) Clusters. Throughout our regional laborsheds, education partners are awarding certificates and degrees in high-demand technical fields such as welding and machinery, as well as professional degrees in accounting, medical, finance and information technology.
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Our economic development organizations work closely with higher education institutions to prepare a pipeline of talent to support Weyerhaeuser's top employment industry--manufacturing--along with many other target and support sectors. These relationships are extremely important when cultivating talent for our site partners and new companies looking to expand within the regions. | |
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Manufacturing Career Cluster® focuses on planning, managing and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products, along with related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control; maintenance and manufacturing; and process engineering.
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics® focuses on planning, management and movement of people, materials and goods by road, air, rail and water. Also, it looks at related professional support services such as transportation infrastructure planning and management; logistics services; mobile equipment; and facility maintenance.
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics® focuses on planning, managing and providing scientific research; professional services; and technical services (e.g., physical science, social science, engineering), including laboratory testing, research and development.
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II. HISTORIC GRADUATION GROWTH VS. WORKER GROWTH
Harvardʼs College-to-Jobs Map is an interactive data map that visualizes how local employment trends historically align with college graduate growth in regions across the nation. VisionFirst utilized this map to analyze Weyerhaeuserʼs regional labor market changes. The data highlights the connection between college, economic mobility and regional economic development.
The map uses a Mismatch Score to compare college graduate supply to worker demand by occupation. The score measures the difference in growth between the number of graduates who obtained degrees in these occupations and the number of workers in these occupations, weighted by the prevalence of workers in each occupation category in this region. Any number higher than zero indicates an abundance of talent entering the market. Both Hawthorne Industry Park and North Florida Mega Industrial Park present a favorable number of talent to meet new or expanding needs. Heart of Georgia Mega Site boasts an amazing percentage of two people entering the job market for one leaving it.
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While this latest data is from 2014-2019, it shows consistent historic growth and demonstrates how educational institutions have remained proactive to stay ahead of job growth demand. To explore the Harvard College-to-Job Map, click here.
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WEYERHAEUSER'S THREE DISTINCTIVE SUPERSITE LOCATIONS
Access to Transport, Workforce Partners and Utility Resources
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HAWTHORNE INDUSTRY PARK
- Located 15 minutes from Gainesville, FL
- U.S. Approved Opportunity Zone
- U.S. Highway 301 and S.R. 20 frontage; within minutes to I-75 and I-10
- Foreign Trade Zone #64 with JAXPORT (largest in Florida), allowing companies to exempt standard tariffs
- CSX Rail main north-south freight line runs directly along border of site
- #5 Public University (University of Florida) and #1 Two-Year College (Santa Fe College) within 15 miles
- Proximity to JAXPORT, Jacksonville International Airport, Orlando's two international airports and Gainesville Regional Airport
- 1.6 million workforce within 60 miles
- Workforce partners include CareerSource North Central Florida, FloridaCommerce, Santa Fe College and Alachua County Schools
- 634 acres zoned for 3.5 million square feet
- REDI Community
- 150,000 square feet commercial space
- Zoned for 200 multi-family units
- Flexibility of parcel sizes and uses
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NORTH FLORIDA MEGA INDUSTRIAL PARK
- Located in Lake City/Columbia County, FL
- Fully permitted with utilities in place
- U.S. Approved Opportunity Zone
- Frontage on U.S. 90, with easy access to I-75 and I-10
- Foreign Trade Zone #64 with JAXPORT (largest in Florida), allowing companies to exempt standard tariffs
- Rail spur directly into park for accelerated movement of materials and goods; additional rail spur to south entrance underway
- Adjacent to Lake City Gateway Airport and only 60 miles to Jacksonville International Airport
- 1.2 million workforce within 60 miles
- Workforce partners include CareerSource Florida Crown, FloridaCommerce and Columbia High School
- Two-year college adjacent to site for workforce development; additional opportunities nearby at University of Florida and Santa Fe College
- 2,622 zoned acres for eight million square feet
- Rural Area of Opportunity/CSX Select Site
- 100,000 square feet commercial space
- Up to 1,200 residential units
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HEART OF GEORGIA MEGA SITE
- Southeastern industrial distribution hub
- Located in Dublin/Laurens County, GA, midway between Atlanta and Savannah
- Frontage on Interstate 16, connecting to I-75 and I-95
- Direct access to the Port of Savannah via I-16
- Served by Georgia Central Railroad, connecting to Norfolk Southern in Macon and CSX in Savannah
- Georgia has the #1 workforce training program in the country, QuickStart; additional programs and preparation available to ensure the right skill sets
- Three educational partners located in Dublin, along with Mercer University in nearby Macon
- Over 450,000 workforce within 60 miles
- 2,000 acres zoned for 17 million square feet
- Three certifications, including Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD)
- Incredible flexibility of parcel sizes and configurations
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COMING IN 2024!
Get ready for VisionFirst Advisors' new web series for Weyerhaeuser Industrial Communities! The team will discuss top-of-mind and bottom-line topics important to you across different industries. Nancy and Greg will address how each of our industrial sites meets these challenges and delivers on them.
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WEYERHAEUSER IS INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH
Readied site, check. Access to rail and major roadways, check. U.S. Opportunity Zone, check. Workforce partner, check. Utilities in place, check. North Florida Mega Industrial Park presents fully permitted acreage in an ideal North Central Florida location. See for yourself the many advantages we offer at this supersite with this overview video!
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WEYERHAEUSER PARTNER SITES - COLYELL AND STOKES
Outstanding Locations in Louisiana and South Carolina with Engaged Economic Partners
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Weyerhaeuser's Colyell site in Livingston Parish, Louisiana is ideally located between Baton Rouge (30 minutes) and New Orleans (one hour) via I-12. With 420 acres, the site offers an incredible opportunity for industrial development. Access to rail is less than three miles. Plus, an amazing local economic partner in Livingston Economic Development Council. |
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Located in Colleton County, South Carolina (midway between Charleston and Savannah), our Stokes site presents 457 acres just two miles west of I-95. Palmetto Railways runs along the site. A workforce of 647k provides the skill sets needed. With South Carolina Economic Alliance, Inc. as our economic development partner, the site is positioned to be an ideal location in the Southeast. | | |
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BANK ON THE BEST
Weyerhaeuser’s wetland and stream mitigation banks have helped provide timely, cost-effective and ecologically significant mitigation solutions for unavoidable impacts to wetlands and streams. These mitigation projects work to help replace the functions of a specific wetland and/or stream habitat affected by your project. Click the map to view mitigation bank sites.
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