20 Oregon Trucking Association, Inc. Oregon Truck Dispatch Focusing on Workforce By Jennifer Sitton | OTA Communications Consultant EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK these days, you’ll see “Help Wanted” or “Hiring” signs posted in storefronts, on online job sites, and often on the backs of trucks as they’re driving down the highway. As so many industries across the country are facing a workforce shortage, so is trucking. Oregon is estimated to see 8.2% growth in trucking-related employment between 2021–2031, with 2,887 job openings per year. But this workforce shortage isn’t new for the trucking industry. From 2017 to 2021, industry members repeatedly ranked driver shortages as the number one issue facing trucking, according to the American Trucking Association. As this workforce shortage continues, OTA is committed to being a leader when it comes to workforce development, including recruiting and training new drivers. OTA recently formed our new Workforce Committee, which will focus on improving labor issues for the industry, including looking for opportunities to promote CDL and Diesel technician careers, promoting additional career opportunities, and looking for creative solutions to improve workforce issues. This new committee will also prioritize increasing awareness around industry shortages and will keep OTA members apprised of opportunities to get involved and help grow our workforce. One way in which our Workforce Committee members are actively working to find creative solutions is to join one of Oregon’s nine regional Workforce Development Boards. Workforce boards are very important because they not only determine which industries or sectors to support with workforce development, they are also responsible for allocating funding to local Worksource or Employment offices to help train workers to support those industries. Because of this, members of these workforce development boards have significant influence over which industries those funds benefit. Oregon’s nine workforce boards are supported by local civic, business and community leaders who collaborate to decide the best ways to leverage funding and resources to build and support the workforce demands of their communities. By law, workforce boards must have a minimum of 51% private industry representation. As of February 2023, the trucking industry has confirmed or pending representation on eight of the nine Oregon workforce boards, giving our industry a seat at the table where these decisions are being made where we haven’t had a voice before. OTA recently saw firsthand how workforce dollars can benefit our industry, as OTA’s President/CEO spoke to a class of graduating CDL Class B drivers who completed a driver training program funded by Work Systems, Worksource Portland Metro, and the Interstate Trucking Academy. Trucking was also well-represented at the on-site job fair that followed the ceremony. Workforce shortages are an issue that will undoubtedly continue to plague our industry, but OTA is committed to doing what we can to recruit and train new drivers and ensure that funding for workforce development for trucking is prioritized. If you are interested in learning more about the workforce board in your region or getting involved with OTA’s workforce committee, please contact our team at info@ortrucking.org.
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