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Nebraska Community Action Survey Details Barriers to Employment, Training Needs

By Matthew Leaf

02/22/2013

(KTNC) - Community Action of Nebraska and the state’s nine Community Action Agencies released the results of their 2012 Statewide Regional Community Assessment on Employment earlier this month.
The report is based on a random survey of residents across the state, conducted last June, and includes information on employment, barriers to employment, and training needs.
Statewide, 18-percent of survey respondents said that their current employment income is insufficient to meet basic needs. Of those, 48-percent were working 40-hours or more per week.
Vicky McNealy is the Executive Director of Southeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership. (play audio :20)
In the six counties served by Southeast Nebraska Community Action, 15-percent of survey respondents said their current employment income is insufficient to meet their basic needs, with 20-percent of those working full-time. (play audio :20)
The number one barrier for employment, or improving current employment, both statewide and in southeast Nebraska, is “limited job opportunities.” That was identified as a barrier by 46-percent of survey respondents in southeast Nebraska and 41-percent across the state.
McNealy says they’ll use the survey results to determine where to steer future funding needs and programs. (play audio :21)
In addition to barriers to employment, the survey also lists the top education and training needs. The top training need identified in the survey – both locally and statewide – is computer skills. McNealy says they do have small computer labs at their locations in Pawnee City and Tecumseh. (play audio :28)
The survey results were unveiled February 5th during a Legislative Breakfast at the State Capitol in Lincoln. A contingent from the Southeast Nebraska Community Action Partnership met with First District State Senator Dan Watermeier that day.
The 2012 report, along with reports from 2010 and 2011, are available online at www.canhelp.org.

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