EMMIE BOESE
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The 2024 Reno County Economic Outlook Conference examines the economy of the state as a whole but Debra Teufel, President and CEO of Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce covered much of the recent impact the economy had and could potentially have locally. Teufel closed out the conference as the last speaker on Feb. 6 at the Crystal Ballroom at the Burt.
Teufel highlighted Hutchinson Community College's impact to help students secure jobs in the workforce in Reno County. According to Teufel's presentation, the unemployment rate in Reno falls slightly above 3.0%. She also referenced a report from a few years ago that says 16,698 people live and work in Reno County.
"We are doing a better job than any other community I know in matching people to jobs and making sure that they are trained," Teufel said. "We have the best career technical education academy right here. We are recognizing those students through signing day that are signing up for technical careers and then we are making sure we are getting them into apprenticeships."
Teufel's presentation included statistics from surveys regarding the employee skill needed locally and the primary issues impacting employee attraction and retention to locally.
"This is the very reason that we embark on things like the Career Quest program, and a working partnership with the Boys and Girls Club on ethic skills because 48% of you and another 33% said soft skills and basic skills are what you need for those employees to come in the door and train on aptitude," Teufel said. "But you need them to have a good attitude when they walk in the door so we are going to continue to do that and do those programs and make sure that we are vetting those soft skills in these young people."
Teufel said that the lack of reliable child care and housing availability and affordability are the top two issues that are turning people away from jobs in the county.
"When we get into what is happening in our population and our population is declining, a big part of that is the result of a couple of factors on this screen," Teufel said at the conference. "Thirty one percent said access to reliable child care then another 20% when you combine housing availability and housing affordability, 20% said that those two issues are holding you back from attracting employees."
More information from Teufel's presentation is available at cedbr.org/2024-reno.
CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.