A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

Our economic landscape is dynamic and our region is experiencing a number of challenges that contribute to significant workforce shortages now and for the foreseeable future The demographic shifts in our population as the baby boomers exit the labor force and smaller generations enter mean that we need to work more effectively to engage all workers in our community – including young adults, women, individuals with disabilities, BIPOC, veterans, refugees, and immigrants – to ensure they have the skills and credentials to meet business needs and advance in their careers

Companies are finding success with talent acquisition and retention strategies that adapt to post-pandemic norms Workers are seeking jobs that align with their values and an inclusive workplace culture, as well as flexibility, professional development opportunities, and clear pathways for career development Businesses that figure out this new environment and meet the needs of their workforce will have a distinct competitive advantage

Reports like this one help us understand some of the trends we are seeing and chart courses to improve talent pipelines for business But this work requires the efforts of our entire community, and we are fortunate that Spokane has a deeply rooted culture of collaboration between our partners in business, education, community-based organizations, and government. We will continue to work together to identify barriers and develop solutions that create more economic opportunity for all of our residents.

About Us

The Spokane Workforce Council is a business-led board that works to identify and fill gaps in our local workforce. We make strategic investments in education and training to ensure a robust talent pipeline that meets the needs of our business community and supports a vibrant economy.

We are a non-profit organization whose mission is to elevate local workforce efforts with critical insights, researched guidance, innovative funding, and strategic partnership – so that we can cultivate a flourishing Spokane, together.

Contact Us

For industry reports including labor market data, trends, and projections specific to your business, please contact:

MICHAEL MCBRIDE Business & Industry Analyst

mmcbride@spokaneworkforce.org

For business-specific support including hiring events, workforce reduction strategies, or layoff services, please contact:

TALENT SOLUTIONS BY WORKSOURCE SPOKANE talentsolutions@esd.wa.gov spokaneworkforce.org

6,492

REGISTERED NURSE: REGISTERED NURSE: THE MOST THE MOST IN-DEMAND ROLE IN SPOKANE IN-DEMAND ROLE IN SPOKANE

As measured by monthly job postings, a registered nurse (RN) has the highest demand for any occupation in Spokane County, with 5,655 unique online job postings over the last 12 months

Occupation employment levels have grown by 32% over the past five years, from 4,931 employed in 2017 to 6,492 employed in 2022 This high level of demand and job growth has been acutely felt by local healthcare employers who have also been managing the turbulence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

$95,175

Compensation

Wage growth for RNs has been very strong, with w reaching $95,175. The een driven up by the hich has led to the being used to fill gaps in ng the pandemic. Travel acts, command much result in 2-3 times higher N.

471 institutions awarded ees in 2021. Washington ted for over 50% of all 2021 with 403 degrees nal levels. Gonzaga es, and at the community munity College awarded orth Idaho College ees. Eastern Washington niversity were also RN degree awarding institutions, with 45 and 18 respectively. As Eastern Washington University expands its registered nursing program in the 2023 Fall quarter, there will be more inland strong talent produced locally as qualified candidates to meet the high demand for RNs.

SPOKANE COUNTY'S SUPPLY IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE

SPOKANE COUNTY'S SUPPLY IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE

The regional-to-national comparison of average employment in the graph below provides an understanding of the strength or weakness of the RN supply in Spokane County and how it is changing relative to the nation. An average area similar to Spokane County in size would have 4,808* employees compared to 6,492, the current number of employees in the region.

This higher-than-expected supply may make it easier to find candidates The gap between expected and actual employment is expected to remain roughly the same over the next five years

32% PAST GROWTH (2017 - 2022) • 5% PROJECTED GROWTH (2022 - 2027)

*NationalaveragevaluesarederivedbytakingthenationalvalueforRegisteredNursesandscalingitdowntoaccountforthedifferenceinoverall workforcesizebetweenthenationandSpokaneCounty,WA Inotherwords,thevaluesrepresentthenationalaverageadjustedforregionsize

Registered Nurse Occupational Data Registered Occupational Data

The location quotient for RNs is 1.35 in Spokane County. This means that Spokane County has an approximately 35% higher concentration of nursing jobs locally when compared to the national average for the concentration of those jobs. Typically, a location quotient over 1.25 is considered a competitive advantage for a region.

MOST JOBS ARE FOUND IN THE GENERAL AND SURGICAL HOSPITALS

MOST JOBS ARE FOUND IN THE GENERAL AND SURGICAL HOSPITALS INDUSTRY SECTOR INDUSTRY SECTOR

RETIREMENT RISK IS AVERAGE - OVERALL DIVERSITY IS LOW RETIREMENT RISK AVERAGE - DIVERSITY IS

1,790

Retiring Soon

Retirement risk is about average in Spokane County. The national average for an area this size is 1,684* employees 55 or older, while there are 1,790 in the region.

865

Racial Diversity

Racial diversity is low in Spokane County. The national average for a area this size is 2,161* racially diverse employees, while there are 865 in the region.

5,737

Gender Diversity

Gender diversity is about average in Spokane County. The national average for a area this size is 5,808* female employees, while there are 5,737 in the region.

*NationalaveragevaluesaredeliveredbytakingthenationalvalueforRegisteredNursesandscalingitdowntoaccountforthedifferenceinoverall workforcesizebetweenthenationandSpokaneCounty,WA Inotherwords,thevaluesrepresentthenationalaverageadjustedforregionsize

Occupation Age Breakdown Occupation Age

The age stratification across the RN workforce is fairly even, with the largest group in the 35–44 year old demographic. More than 5% of local RNs are older than 65, and another 22.3% are within 10 years of age 65. While retirements are affecting every job and industry across the economy, the local RN workforce is not at a heightened level of retirement risk, compared to the national average.

OCCUPATION RACE/ETHNICITY BREAKDOWN OCCUPATION RACE/ETHNICITY

Spokane County’s population lacks racial diversity compared to national figures. The racial demographics of the local RN workforce generally follow the Spokane population demographics; however, both White and Asian workers are more highly represented in the RN workforce as compared to local population demographics, while Hispanic or Latino, two or more races, and American Indians have a relatively lower representation in the position.

Occupation Gender Breakdown Occupation

The gender breakdown of RN employment is highly skewed towards female workers, accounting for approximately 88.4% of local employment. This wide gender gap is not significantly different from national trends but does provide an opportunity to intentionally target male students to pursue nursing educational tracks, which offer immense employment opportunities after graduation.