Employment Experts: Berkshire County Has 'Healthy Labor Market'

This is the first of a two-part series about employment in the Berkshires. Part 2 will look at specifics in the county's jobs landscape. 

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There are common stereotypes of the employment situation in Berkshire County — including some contradictory perceptions.

 

One version is that there are many available jobs, but employers have a hard time finding workers to fill them. On the other hand, we also hear that Berkshire County does not have enough good jobs, and people have to move elsewhere because of poor job prospects here.

 

Another related belief is that the population of Berkshire County is aging and declining because younger people leave or avoid coming here.

 

A familiar long-term narrative is that Berkshire County once had a strong economy and many manufacturing jobs with large employers such as GE and Sprague.

 

But then, a period of steep decline began in the 1970s, when these major employers closed or moved to other regions or overseas. According to the gloomiest version of this, the county's economy was hollowed out by that period, and it has not recovered.

 

However the reality is far more complex and positive than that, according to experts involved in economic development and employment.

 

Despite continuing challenges, they say, the county has rebounded over time.

 

While the process of finding and preparing for a career is not as straightforward as it once was, there are plentiful jobs and career options in the region.

 

"Berkshire County has a healthy labor market," said Bryana Bayly, industry manager at Mass Hire Berkshire Workforce Board, a partnership between Berkshire Training and Employment Program and the Massachusetts Division of Career Services. She works with employers, schools and the Berkshire Career Center.

 

Bayly acknowledged that there is still an ingrained perception among some people that the Berkshires have a shortage of good jobs and is a difficult place to establish a career.

 

"That's a false narrative that I also believed when I was growing up 20 years ago in North Adams," she said. "I moved away after school. But when I returned, I realized that it was not accurate, especially after I started working here. There are many unique companies that are doing amazing things and provide great jobs. Most people can find a position that meets their needs and can lead to long-term careers."

 

She believes that lingering negative perception reflects the changing nature of the modern economy and workplaces. Career pathways are not as clearcut as they once were.

 

"I think some of the misconceptions are related to generational habits and mindsets that are still being carried," she said. "Many people grew up with the idea that people could follow in the footsteps of their parents or grandparents and get a job right out of school. It's not that simple anymore. "

 

"The major difference today is that It does take more initial effort to identify jobs, determine what you are best suited for and prepare for them," she continued. "Fortunately there are many resources available, such as the Berkshire Career Center, that can provide career counseling and training."

 

That view was shared by Laura Brennan, executive director of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, the designated planning agency for the 32 towns and cities in the county. Among its other roles, BRPC is involved with economic development.

 

"The Berkshires do well for industries compared to similar regions across the country," she said. "We aren't doing as well as the state, but that's not surprising considering how different we are from eastern Massachusetts."

 

The overall employment picture is very multifaceted and does not lend itself to easy characterizations, she added.

 

"It's not something you can summarize simply " she said. "There are so many factors involved. And it's very fluid. It's not a static situation."

 

She said it is variable among different employment sectors. 

 

"You have to look at individual industries here, and how they compare to those in similar regions and nationally," she explained. "It's also important to consider the types of jobs and comparative wages, as well as unemployment levels and other elements. And two things can be true at the same time. We can have jobs that can't be filled while some people have difficulty finding jobs."

 

 

In addition, the employment situation in Berkshire County is not unique. Many of the issues and opportunities here also reflect larger nationwide changes and patterns.

 

Many other communities and regions, for example, experienced similar losses of major industrial operations and jobs.

 

The nature of employment and the workplace also has changed because of economic volatility, technology, corporate strategies, the shift towards a service economy, and other trends. Manufacturing has also evolved into highly advanced technology operations and products requiring specialized skills.

 

The traditional patterns of long-term careers with a single employer are also less common because of corporate strategies and mergers, more frequent layoffs, and growing economic inequality. For example, the widening gaps between wages and the cost of living has become a major political issue in this election year.

 

Nevertheless, Brennan said, the economic infrastructure and employment in Berkshire County has become stronger and more resilient than it was in the past. She attributed this largely to the overall push to diversify the economy, which has been a broadly shared regional economic development goal.

 

"I never agreed with the idea that we needed to recreate the situation that once existed where the economy was dependent on a few large employers," she said. "A much healthier approach to revitalization is encouraging a greater number of smaller employers. It's much harder to topple a diverse economy. "

 

Over the past several decades there have been coordinated efforts to attract, foster and support new employers in a variety of fields. Another focus has been to prepare students and adult job seekers for the modern workforce, and match training to the needs of employers. Participants have included schools, colleges, businesses, local governments and organizations such as the Berkshire Workforce Board, Berkshire Career Center, BRPC, 1Berkshire, the Berkshire Innovation Centers and others. (For information on the emphasis on career education in public schools, see January's series on vocational education.)

 

Brennan said those long-term efforts have borne fruit.

 

"It's great that we have so many entrepreneurs and advanced manufacturers and micro businesses here," she said. "We're seeing smaller firms doing really well. It's also important that many of these businesses are homegrown and are committed to Berkshire County as they grow."