Spring Break
City workforce ranks low in education, skills
Josh Kurtz
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: News
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Philadelphia's workforce is not as educated as in comparable cities, and this is beginning to affect job seekers. According to the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, the city's workforce is ranked near the bottom of the 100 largest American cities in education and skill level.
A decline in employment opportunities mostly affects Philadelphians without a college or, in some cases, high school degree. The report states that one out of four Philadelphians did not complete high school. This is double the national average.
Peter Franks, Executive Director of the Steinbright Career Development Center, says that the co-op office has not felt negative effects from the workforce decline.
Franks explained that a study by the Workforce Investment Board of Philadelphia pointed out a key component of Philadelphia's job decline. The report, by Dr. Paul Harrington and Dr. Neeta Fogg, explains that while there is a drop-off in jobs for people without a college degree, there are many career opportunities for people who do have a college diploma.
Approximately 45 percent of adults in Philadelphia are not a part of the labor force, according to the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board's website.
The average salary for a Philadelphian whose formal education ended after high school is $24,984. Philadelphians who did not complete 12th grade make an average salary of $22,913.
On the contrary, Philadelphians with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $39,375 per year. Those with at least a master's degree earn on average $59,965 dollars.
These employment figures were taken from the year 2000 by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board's report, A Tale of Two Cities. The report chronicles the differences in lifestyle between Philadelphian's with a college degree and those without one.
Because of this discrepancy between those with and without college diplomas, said Franks, "our students are doing very well" finding jobs.
A decline in employment opportunities mostly affects Philadelphians without a college or, in some cases, high school degree. The report states that one out of four Philadelphians did not complete high school. This is double the national average.
Peter Franks, Executive Director of the Steinbright Career Development Center, says that the co-op office has not felt negative effects from the workforce decline.
Franks explained that a study by the Workforce Investment Board of Philadelphia pointed out a key component of Philadelphia's job decline. The report, by Dr. Paul Harrington and Dr. Neeta Fogg, explains that while there is a drop-off in jobs for people without a college degree, there are many career opportunities for people who do have a college diploma.
Approximately 45 percent of adults in Philadelphia are not a part of the labor force, according to the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board's website.
The average salary for a Philadelphian whose formal education ended after high school is $24,984. Philadelphians who did not complete 12th grade make an average salary of $22,913.
On the contrary, Philadelphians with a bachelor's degree earn an average of $39,375 per year. Those with at least a master's degree earn on average $59,965 dollars.
These employment figures were taken from the year 2000 by the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board's report, A Tale of Two Cities. The report chronicles the differences in lifestyle between Philadelphian's with a college degree and those without one.
Because of this discrepancy between those with and without college diplomas, said Franks, "our students are doing very well" finding jobs.
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