Lane County Sector Strategy Team

Lane Workforce Partnership launched the Lane County Sector Strategy Team (LCSST) in November 2014, using the nationally recognized model of Next Generation Sector Partnerships. This model brings together private business with partners from local government, education, organized labor, economic development, and community-based organizations. This team is responsible for making decisions together about how to better support critical industries in Lane County, including forming sector partnerships targeting specific industries and creating opportunities for regional alignment and growth.

Sector Strategies are business led partnerships primarily funded by the Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (WIOA). These funds are workforce investments for talent development, job creation, and business competitiveness. We use local labor market data and analysis to inform our work and to identify the regional industries essential to our local economy. In Lane County our identified industry sectors are: Technology Sector, Food and Beverage Manufacturing, Construction-Aggregate, and Wood Products.

Goals of the Lane County Sector Strategy Team:

  • Elevate Business Voice
  • Articulate Workforce Needs
  • Inform Investments
  • Regional Collaboration
  • Youth Support

Resources:

Why focus on Tech?  Here’s why…

Since 2015 we have focused on the Tech sector in Lane County.  Lane County is home to over 501 Tech Companies, with 73 successful new tech companies launched locally in the last five years, which employs 3,775 people bringing over $284 million dollars in wages to the area.  The industry’s local average annual wage is $75,272 – nearly double the average Lane County wage of $45,181.  Employment growth at local tech companies is expected to be 23% over the next 10 years (2017 – 2027) compared to 11% for all industries.  This makes tech the highest paying and fastest growing industry in Eugene.  In order for Lane County to keep pace with the industry’s demand for skilled workers, the workforce development and education community recognized that it would have to work together to strengthen the local talent pipeline.  Workforce development, education and economic development also realized that supporting this vital industry overall was an opportunity to grow the local economy and the area’s high-wage jobs.

Current Initiatives Include:

  • Talent Retention: Experience Oregon Tech
  • Tech Community Building
  • Advocacy
  • Events including the Big Mix, Hack for a Cause, and TAD Talks.

Want to learn more? 

Interim Tech Sector Lead: Cara Snow cara.snow@techoregon.org

Why focus on Food and Beverage?  Here’s why…

We have focused on Food and Beverage Manufacturing sector in Lane County Since 2017.  Lane County is home to over 173 food and beverage companies, which employ over 3,900 people, bringing over $188 million dollars in wages to the area.  Going forward, the sector is expected to add 795 additional jobs by 2027 for a 20% growth rate, compared to 11% for all industries.  In addition, there are expected to be 4,711 replacement openings.  Total job openings will reach 5,506 over the 10-year period.  In 2019, the Lane County average annual wage in the Food and Beverage Sector was $48,376 compared to $45,181 for all industries. Educational requirements for the Food and Beverage Sector are relatively low. 13 out of the 15 of the largest occupations require a high school diploma or less, yet employers in the industry report having difficulty hiring and keeping workers.

Current Initiatives Include:

  • Product and Value Promotion
  • Knowledge and Resource Share
  • Collaborative Development Projects
  • Events including Quarterly Food Business Unpacked, Eugene Food Startup Weekend, and Hiring/Job Fairs

Want to learn more? 

Director & Sector Strategist, Micah Elconin: micah@eugenestable.org

Why focus on Construction-Aggregate?  Here’s why…

Since 2016 we have focused on the Construction-Aggregate sector. The Construction-Aggregate sector employs over 7,668 people in Lane County and is expected to grow faster than the overall economy at 24% between 2017 and 2027 for 1,724 new jobs, compared to 11% for all industries.  In addition, there are expected to be 8,368 replacement openings for a total of 10,092 openings over the ten-year period.  With above average growth, employment in the sector reaches pre-recession levels, which peaked in 2007 at 8,380, towards the end of the forecast period. Annual average wages in construction and aggregate are higher than the overall average for all industries at $54,558 compared to $45,181.  In 2017, Lane County’s total payroll in construction and aggregate was $418,354,202 the fifth highest county in the state.  Even though wages are higher on average than for all industries, most occupations in construction and aggregate require only a high school diploma or less for the typical entry level position.

Current Initiatives Include:

Want to learn more?

Construction-Aggregate Sector Lead: Lyle Lang, lylel@laneworkforce.org

Why focus on Wood Products?  Here’s why…

We have focused on Wood Products sector in Lane County since 2018. Lane County is home to over 200 wood products manufacturing companies, employing over 7,000 people and bringing nearly $400 million dollars in wages to the area. The industry’s annual average wage of $57,724 is slightly higher than the annual average Lane County wage of $45,181. Wood products has played a key role in Lane County’s economy for generations, and through the application of innovative technologies, continues to be an important economic sector today. Developing, recruiting, and retaining people needed to run their everyday operations is a significant challenge for their skill trade industry.  Despite the advancements in safety, technology, and automation in modern facilities, the industry as a whole is challenged by the antiquated public perception of what it is like to work in manufacturing facilities. 

Current Initiatives Include:

  • Industry Education; advanced technology, safe work environment, and job diversification
  • Community Pride and Awareness
  • Youth Education in Partnership with Forest Today and Forever
  • Advocacy for Policy and Licensing Alignment
  • Events Including Manufacturing Day, Oregon Logging Conference, and Hiring/Job Fairs

Want to learn more? 

Interim Sector Lead: Ashley Espinoza, Sector Director Ashley@Laneworkforce.org

SECTOR LEADERS

Members of the Lane County Sector Strategy Team

AHM Brands Lane Workforce Partnership
American Forest Resource Council Latino Professionals Connect
ArtCity Eugene Mozilla Foundation
Bagel Sphere Northwest Community Credit Union
Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Office of US Senator Merkley
Business Oregon Office of US Senator Wyden
Bushnell University (formerly NCU) Oregon Employment Department
Cascade Health Solutions Oregon Forest and Industry Council
City of Eugene Oregon Forest Resources Institute
City of Florence Oregon RAIN
City of Springfield Onward Eugene
Connected Lane County RAIN Eugene
Delta Sand & Gravel Regional Solutions
Dept. of Human Services – Vocational Rehabilitation Seneca
DevNW Shift
Elevate Lane County Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Emerald Broadband Springfield School District
Eugene 4J School District Springfield Utility Board
Eugene Chamber of Commerce Swanson Group
Eugene’s Table Technology Association of Oregon
Eugene Water & Electric Board Travel Lane County
Florence Chamber of Commerce UA Local 290
Forest Today and Forever United Way of Lane County
Hillside Heights University of Oregon
Homes For Good Travel Lane County
IDX, Inc. UA Local 290
Lane Arts Council United Way of Lane County
Lane Community College University of Oregon
Lane Council of Governments Wildtime Foods
Lane County Willamette Farm and Food Coalition
Lane County Medical Society Willamette Valley Grown and Crafted
Lane County Medical Society XS Media
Lane ESD