Eastern Upper Peninsula

Environmental Scan and Career Development Report Card

 

 Table of Contents

 

 

I           Environmental Scan, Part 1 - Our Community

 

A.         Demographics

            B.         Business and Economic Conditions

            C.         Education and Training

            D.        Technological

            E.         Political/Legal

            F.         Socio/Cultural

            G.        Other Conditions:  Transportation, Environmental, Housing

 

II         Environmental Scan, Part 2 - Our Career Development System

           

A.        Overall System Trends:

                            The Career Development System

                            Workforce Development System

                            Workforce Enhancement System

 

            B.         Career Preparation System Performance:

                            K-12 Education

                            Post-Secondary Education

 

C.        Customer Satisfaction:

                            Employment Service

                            Work First

                            Job Training Partnership Act

 

III        Report Card/Career Development Goals

 

A.         Goal 1: Improve Workforce Readiness

B.         Goal 2: Improve Academic Performance

C.         Goal 3: Attract More High Tech/High Skill Jobs

 

Three-Year Goals

 

References

 

Acknowledgments

 

 


DRAFT

 

Eastern Upper Peninsula

Environmental Scan and Career Development Report Card

 

II.        Environmental Scan, Part 1 - Our Community

 

A.        Demographics

 

From 1970 to 1998, the population of the Eastern U.P. has grown by approximately 6800 people, or 14 percent.  Luce County has actually shown some decrease in population (2 percent), but Mackinac and Chippewa have grown by 15 and 17 percent, respectively. 

 

These population statistics include institutional and noninstitutional “group quarters” figures, and it should be pointed out that the area’s large prison facilities skew the totals.  In 1998, the Department of Corrections reported that 5,484 prisoners were housed in the Eastern U.P., with 937 in Luce County and 4,547 in Chippewa County.  Other people falling into that category include those residing in nursing homes, hospitals and college dormitories.  The total in 1998 was 6,738.

 

More recently, using gross figures, the area’s population grew by 8.7 percent from 1990 to 1998; the state’s population grew by 5.6 percent during the same period.  If you factor out the group quarters population, the region’s population grew by 7.1 percent.   The largest growth of the three counties was experienced by Luce County (17.5 percent), but if the group quarters population is excluded, the county only grew by 3.4 percent.

 

The only category which has shown a steady decline since 1990 has been the age zero-to-four population, which has decreased by 8 percent.  The age 18 to 24 population has remained constant at about 11 percent of the total population, compared to 9.4 percent statewide The birth rate in the E.U.P. is 11.5 per 1,000, compared to 15 per 1,000 statewide.  The age 65 and older category remains steady at 13.6 percent of the total population. 

 

The racial profile of the Eastern U.P. is majority white (83.3 percent) with Native Americans (10.9 percent) and blacks (5.3 percent) comprising the largest minority groups.  Fifty-three (53) percent are males.  In 1990, the total labor force was 23,200.  The disabled population aged 16 and older was 1,960 or 8.4 percent.

 

There have not been any noticeable changes in minority populations over the last ten years, but the 2000 census will provide us with a better assessment.

 

Table 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2.

B.        Business and Economic Conditions

 

The general economic conditions have mirrored the improvements that Michigan has experienced over the past few years.  Unemployment rates have shown a steady decline, although they are still more than twice the state’s average.

 

The workforce of the Eastern U.P. has expanded substantially faster than statewide and national growth rates, however.  Since 1990, our total employment has increased by 25.4 percent, compared to 13.8 in Michigan and 10.7 in the United States.

 

Still very reliant on tourism, the Eastern U.P.’s economy is very unlike the balance of the state.  The largest employment sector is government, comprising 45.3 percent of all jobs, more than tripling the statewide percentage of 14.6.  Government employment includes the six state correctional institutions, vast tribal enterprises, a state university and local school districts, as well as other local, state and federal government jobs.  Manufacturing makes up 5 percent of the area’s employment, compared to 21.4 percent statewide.  Seven of the Eastern U.P.’s top ten private employment industries are related to tourism.

 

Table 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Other: Transportation, Utilities, Communication, Wholesale Trade, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

 

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Our tourist businesses have worked hard over the years to extend the season and create more year-round activities to draw visitors.  The weather plays a critical role each year in the industry.  Hot summer weather downstate is a plus, as people flock to our northern beaches to beat the heat.  When our summers are cool and wet, fewer “no vacancy” signs appear.  Similarly, a temperate winter is not healthy for the snowmobiling and skiing enthusiasts.  Thus, many area businesses thrive or wilt because of what they cannot control – the weather.

 

Interviews with key employers in the area indicate that business expansions are being planned.  This includes manufacturing and health care providers, which will typically offer higher wages than retail trade and services.  Only the public schools have indicated that they expect no growth or reductions due to lower enrollments, particularly in the elementary grades.  Some smaller governmental agencies are also expecting to downsize by being annexed to nearby districts, resulting in fewer locally-based employees.

 

Per capita incomes have increased from 1987 to 1998 by an average of 55 percent for the three counties, compared to the state’s increase of 57 percent.  Mackinac County had the most significant change, going from $12,301 to $21,886, a 78% increase.  Even in 1997, each of the three counties lagged behind the state’s per capita income of $24,956.  Chippewa County was 37 percent lower at $15,591, while Luce was at $17,716.  Nineteen (19) percent of Mackinac County’s labor force is employed outside the county, compared to 4.2 percent in Chippewa and 6.4 percent in Luce.

 

Table 4.

 

 

The unemployment rates in the Eastern U.P. have shown steady declines.  The average annual rate was 13.8 percent in 1992, dropping to 8.5 percent in 1998.  Although it was still more than twice the state’s rate of 3.9 percent, it is a notable improvement.  Chippewa and Luce County have relatively stable rates throughout the year, with seasonal fluctuations impacting them with higher rates during the winter months.  Mackinac County, however, exhibits extreme shifts in unemployment, going from more than 20 percent during the winter months to less than 2 percent in the height of the summer tourist season.

 

Table 5.

 

 

Michigan’s welfare reform programs have definitely had an impact on the size of the local labor force.  For example, in 1994 there were almost 400 public assistance cases in Chippewa County without earned income; today there are less than 30.  The total labor force of the Eastern U.P. has increased by 4,725 from 1990 to 1998, a rise of 20.3 percent.

 

In the Upper Peninsula, the occupations with the largest numeric growth between 1996 and 2006 are expected to be cashiers, retail salespersons, correction officers, general managers and top executives, amusement and recreation attendants, food preparation workers, waiters and waitresses, home health aides, maintenance repairers, and general office clerks.  Most of these occupations require minimal formal training; correction officers need 15 credits of specific postsecondary credits, and some require computer literacy.  The majority of these jobs are in the service sector, demanding good interpersonal relations skills, organizational skills and dependable work ethics.

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Table 6.

 

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               Upper Peninsula Top Ten Private Industry Employers:   (Third Quarter 1998)

 

Industry

Number of Employees

Eating and Drinking Places

2,162

Amusement and Recreation Services

1,893

Membership Organizations

1,562

Hotels and Other Lodging Places

1,382

Food Stores

   785

General Merchandise Stores

   586

Miscellaneous Retail Trade Stores

   580

Lumber and Wood Products

   571

Auto Dealers and Service Stations

   456

Health Services

   451

 

 

 

Of the U.P.’s fastest growing occupations for the same period, medical and technology skills pervade. The occupations include numerical control machine operators, physical therapists, systems analysts, personal/home care aides, emergency medical technicians, amusement and recreation attendants, medical assistants, medical and psychiatric social workers, engineers, and preschool/kindergarten teachers.

 

Nationally, the highest percentage increases in employees from 1998 to 2008 will be in computers (117 percent), health services (67 percent) and residential maintenance (57 percent).

 

 

 

Table 7.

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Upper Peninsula’s Fastest Growing Occupations 1996-2006

 

Occupations

Employment Change

Number

Percent

Numerical Control Machine Operators

180

62.8

Physical Therapists

  60

57.1

Systems Analysts

  90

54.3

Personal/Home Care Aides

155

51.7

Emergency Medical Technicians

  75

43.6

Amusement & Recreation Attendants

380

40.8

Medical Assistants

  65

37.4

Social Workers, Medical & Psychiatric

105

35.7

Engineer, Math, Natural Science Managers

  80

34.8

Teachers, Preschool/Kindergarten

  90

33.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 8.

 

Upper Peninsula Occupations with the Largest Numeric Growth 1996-2006

Occupations

Employment Change

Number

Percent

Cashiers

775

17.6

Salespersons, Retail

 630

14.7

Correction Officers

495

24.1

General Managers & Top Executives

410

11.6

Amusement & Recreation Attendants

380

40.8

Food Preparation Workers

345

17.7

Waiters & Waitresses

335

10.8

Home Health Aides

320

27.8

Maintenance Repairers, General Utility

320

13.2

General Office Clerks

2150

  7.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 9.

 

Upper Peninsula High Growth, High Demand, High Wage Occupations

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Occupation

Growth Rate

Annual Openings

Wages

Requiring Associate’s Degree

     Dental Hygienists

21.2

10

$19.94

     Registered Nurses

9.8

48

$20.09

     Respiratory Therapists

39.6

5

$16.27

     Medical Records Technicians

30.4

5

$10.03