A skills survey conducted by Kirkwood Community College shows the need for qualified candidates and recruitment in the workforce. 

Kirkwood Community College has released its Skills 2027 Report. This report provides employers across the region with a view of workforce needs and the strategies required to strengthen hiring, retention, and business growth through 2027. The report reflects input from 156 organizations across Kirkwood’s seven-county service area, including eight in Washington County. 

More than 62% of employers experienced difficulty filling positions over the past year, most often citing a lack of qualified candidates, a small labor pool, and wage or benefit competition as the leading barriers. Employers also stated the most common skills missing from today’s workforce are foundational work habits such as reliability, accountability, and attendance, along with job-specific technical skills. 

Kirkwood is ready to partner with businesses to deliver solutions identified, including workforce readiness training that strengthens foundational workplace skills, customized training that builds job-specific and technical skills, and onboarding support that helps employers successfully train less-experienced new hires. The Skills Survey is conducted every three years, and provides insight into the challenges and opportunities facing employers across the seven counties that Kirkwood Community College serves.