Some of the biggest increases are showing up in skilled-labor manufacturing jobs, the most recent study shows.
For example, the average hourly rate for an assigned supervisor for production increased to $26.41 from $23.56 during a two year period in Clark County.
The average hourly wage for skilled labor jobs has increased by up to $3 since 2017, according to the wage report that used data collected by the Dayton Development Coalition.
“It is a much more competitive market because it is an employee led game for everyone right now,” Donahoe said.
As of the end of July, manufacturing jobs made up a little under 10 percent of Clark County’s total workforce, according to numbers provided by the Chamber of Greater Springfield.
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Donahoe said several factors are contributing to the most recent jump in wages. Among them are the low unemployment rate reported in Clark County, which was 4.2 percent in June, and an exodus of skilled labor from the work force.
“We have had a lot of baby boomers starting to retire. We are seeing the beginning of that exodus,” she said. “It is opening up jobs that need to be back filled. There is just not enough people in the workforce and it’s creating larger competition among employers.”
The number of people in Clark County’s labor force, including those employed or looking for employment, was 64,300 people in June, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
She said though wages are not the sole factor when it comes to retaining employees, it does play an important part in attracting qualified candidates.
However, some area manufacturers are having trouble finding candidates with the proper skills and training, especially for higher operating positions. Kara Williams, Director of Human Resources at McGregor Metalworking Companies, said that is the case for her manufacturing firm.
“We are not finding what we need from the outside,” she said, adding that the overall quality of candidates has suffered due to the low unemployment rate.
Donahoe said some issues that local manufacturers are facing relates to a shortage in younger job seekers who have the proper skills and training needed to secure skilled labor jobs in that field.
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“We lost a whole decade of people going into those positions that are now being vacated. It’s a regional and national situation,” she said.
A shortage in skilled labor, prompted McGregor to implement a new internal training program for employees in June that offers some on the job training and online courses purchased by the company.
McGregor boosted its entry-level wage from $11 to $13 per hour at the company’s facilities in Springfield, last year. Workers earning $14 an hour also got an additional dollar per hour. The company has four plants in the area and employs 300 people, Williams said.
She said the focus now is to fill higher level jobs such as tool and die makers and positions related to machine maintenance. The average hourly wage for those positions range from $20 to $24. However, in some cases, Williams said that candidates have named their own prices.
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