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Statewide survey of employers provides key findings in efforts to grow employment in the First State The Delaware Workforce Development Board released key findings from its recent survey of Delaware employers conducted by Zogby Analytics. The survey was commissioned by the Board to further its mandate to drive programs and initiatives that most effectively increase the number of Delawareans possessing the job skills Delaware employers need. Board Chair, Scott Malfitano, highlighted the comprehensive nature of the Zogby effort, covering 251 respondents of different sizes and sectors throughout the state, and added “such a scope was critical to the value of this information in ensuring the Board’s programs are as effective as possible.” The Board highlighted the following key findings: 1. While two- or four-year colleges were considered somewhat or very important in recruitment by half or more of the respondents, so were technical and career schools, and four out of five respondents have employment opportunities that do not require a college degree 2. Almost half the companies surveyed accept individuals who were part of the criminal justice system 3. More than forty percent of respondents cited self-motivation (53%), communication skills (51%), problem solving/critical thinking (45%), and attention to detail (43%) as the general skills and experience gaps that have large impacts on recruitment 4. The technical skills gaps uncovered included a lack of Microsoft Excel and Word skills as well as shortcomings in basic computer literacy. The Board, with the assistance of Tech Impact’s Delaware Data Innovation Lab, continues to mine the large amount of data underpinning the survey for statistical insights into the needs of Delaware's employers. Additional findings will aid the Board in supporting the optimal training programs and continuing its work with businesses across Delaware to grow the size and skills level of the state’s workforce. Such efforts are critical given Delaware’s ongoing employment talent competition with areas such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, and Salisbury, Maryland. The relationship between the survey and the Board’s goals was neatly summed up by Jonathan Zogby, CEO of Zogby Analytics, "It was forward thinking of Delaware’s Workforce Development Board to utilize advanced survey research methodologies to better understand Delaware businesses’ current needs. The pertinent decision to utilize a hybrid methodology produced an accurate and representative sample to analyze and provided rich feedback for the board’s workforce strategies.” For more information about the survey’s findings, please visit Survey Results. About the Delaware Workforce Development Board – Established in its current form by Delaware Governor John Carney, the Board includes elected and appointed officials as well as representatives from business and labor. The Board’s efforts focus on evaluating and supporting programs providing job training, ensuring those programs are effectively targeted to the skills employers need in today’s environment, and furthering avenues to connect individuals and employers.