Where are workforce services most needed in our region?

Based on data from recent Census surveys, the following maps provide a geographic breakdown of the region’s adults who would likely benefit from career services, including the unemployed, the working poor, and those with limited levels of education.

Unemployment

The unemployed reflects the population ages 16 and over who are actively looking for work and available to start a job, a key demographic for career services. The unemployment rate is highest in Trimble and Spencer counties, but the number of unemployed in these two counties is less than 1,000 people. Meanwhile, there are more than 19,000 unemployed persons in Jefferson County.

Zooming into county subdivisions shows substantial variation in unemployment within counties. For example, within Trimble County the unemployment rate is much higher in Bedford than in Milton. Zooming in one level further to census tracts shows even greater geographic detail about the region’s unemployed. For example, in Shelby County, the unemployment rate is highest in the north and northwest part of the county.

Working Poor

The working poor includes employed workers age 16 and over who live below the poverty line. These low-income adults can benefit from career services that help move them into a better job. The largest percentage of the region’s workers with income below the poverty level are in Crawford County, IN, Henry County, and Jefferson County. Nearly 25,000 workers in Jefferson County live below the poverty line. Zooming into county subdivisions shows the variation within counties. For example, in Henry County, a low percentage of New Castle’s workers are in poverty, while a much higher share of workers in Campbellsburg are among the working poor.

Zooming in one level further to census tracts shows even greater geographic detail about the region’s working poor. For example, in Spencer County, there is a higher rate of working poor west of the Salt River and south of Taylorsville Road.

Limited education

Working-age adults with limited levels of educational attainment could potentially benefit from training services, such as those provided by sector-based training in construction and IT, or from access to scholarships to pursue career-focused education. While some of the region’s workers with a high school education or less are likely skilled through alternative routes (STARs) such as apprenticeships or other work-based experience, others might need to upskill or reskill for a changing economy.

The following map shows the percentage of adults ages 25 to 64 whose highest level of educational attainment is a high school degree, its equivalency, or less. The region’s outlying counties have the highest rate of adults with a high school education or less, including Crawford and Scott counties in Indiana and Henry and Trimble counties in Kentucky. Meanwhile, Oldham County has a low share of high school or less adults. County subdivisions reveal variation within counties. For example, in Bullitt County, there is a higher share of adults with a high school education or less in Lebanon Junction and Southeast Shepherdsville, and a much lower share in Mount Washington. Looking at the census tract level shows additional geographic detail. For example, in Shelby County, there is a high rate of adults with a high school education or less in downtown Shelbyville, relative to the rest of the county.

Together these maps illustrate the need for workforce development services throughout the Kentuckiana region. Jefferson County accounts for the greatest absolute need, particularly in west, south, and central Louisville, and north and south Dixie. The relative need in Kentuckiana’s regional counties is high, but with far fewer overall people.

For more information about career services in our region, including coaching, workshops, and hiring events, contact the Kentucky Career Center or WorkOne Career Center in Southern Indiana.