Howard Community College

Middle-Skills Gap Maryland Jobs and Workers by Skill Level High-Skills Jobs High-Skills Workers Middle-Skills Jobs Middle-Skills Workers Low-Skills Jobs Low-Skills Workers 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Source: National Skills Coalition analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics by State, May 2012, and American Community Survey data, 2012. "Developing a career is a process and we have resources available to help, at every stage in that process" therapy assistant — are flourishing in the Maryland economy. An analysis of job openings between 2010 – 2020 found that 43 percent will be identified as middle-skill. Yet, these positions can be some of the hardest positions for local employers to fill. In fact, in Maryland, nearly 50 percent of jobs are middle-skill positions, yet fewer than 40 percent of workers have the right qualifications. Community colleges fill the gap when it comes to training for these skilled positions, and the Counseling and Career Services Center goes even further with the services offered to local employers to assist them in hiring students, alumni, and community members to fill their vacancies. In addition to offering general career counseling and a series of vocational assessments, the center invites job-seekers to participate in a number of hands-on workshops, focused on topics ranging from resume and cover letter writing to interviewing and job searching. "Developing a career is a process and we have resources available to help at every stage in that process," said Dave Tirpak, assistant director of career and employment counseling. "Through these resources, you can learn about yourself and gain the experience you need to pursue the career path that is right for you." One of the most popular and useful tools available through the center is the FOCUS-2, a self-guided online career assessment program that helps people clarify their true interests and skills, and then matches those characteristics with potential occupations, giving them a sneak peek at over 1,200 different careers. Another tool that has proven useful for students is Career Coach, available on HCC's website. Career Coach allows students to explore career paths relevant to a particular area of study, providing information on occupations, current wages, projected growth, employers, and open positions in the Columbia, Baltimore, and D.C. areas. Together, these tools are helping to answer some of the biggest questions students have, such as "what should I major in?" and "what careers have the brightest outlook?" "Those who are open minded and who really embrace what we offer and take advantage of the resources at their fingertips will benefit the most," said Tirpak. "This is especially important because new fields are emerging all of the time. Recently, some of the fastest growing fields are in sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics — STEM — based on what is going on in the world and the workforce." Marcela Mena-Gonzalez is another student who took full advantage of the services offered by Tirpak and his team. While taking courses, she wanted to gain some clarity on possible career paths and pursue internships relevant to her goals. With a very rough draft of her resume in hand, she made an appointment at the career center, hoping to strengthen and improve how she could present herself on paper and begin making connections with prospective employers in her community. "They helped me bring my resume to life," said Mena-Gonzalez. "Then I took a personality assessment and used FOCUS-2, and I learned a lot about myself. I learned about career paths that I hadn't even considered and that based on my strengths, I should look closely at opportunities in the health care and science industries." 8 Howard Community College

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