Workforce
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  • Testimonials
  • Labor Force Data
  • Commuting Patterns
  • Employment by Industry
  • Wages by Industry
  • Weekly Wage Rates by Sector
  • Workforce Training Programs & Incentives
  • Workforce Partners


    • Testimonials
    What some of our employers are saying.
    "Good character- we find that a lot. We don't have a real high wage here, which is beneficial for me, and they got a good work ethic."
                                             - Dean Martin, President, Martin Homes

    "We moved from St. Louis to Wright County ten years ago cause we could no longer compete with the Far East. The company is 117 years old and we'd no longer be in business today had we not moved."
                                    - Pete Fischer, President, Beehler Corporation

    "We have found that the workers in Wright County are hard working and dependable. They are also willing to learn which, is a huge benefit to our company."
                          - Bruce Fudgitt, Branch Manager, Airgas Mid-America



    Labor Force News
  • Wright County was designated in 2000 as a "Labor Surplus Area" by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor providing Wright County employers preferential treatment in Federal procurement contracts.


  • View our recent Labor Study that reveals Wright County has a 21% competitive advantage over the rest of Missouri and a 25% competitive advantage over the nation in average wages.



    • Labor Force Data
    Labor Study Download (MERMEC File)

    Year

    Labor Force

    Employed

    Unemployed

    Unemployment Rate

    2001

    7,065

    6,408

    657

    9.3%

    2000

    7,000

    6,568

    432

    6.2%

    1999

    7,121

    6,747

    374

    5.3%




    Commuting Patterns
    Incommuters       24.2%
    (County workers who live outside county)

    Outcommuters     35.4%
    (County Residents who work outside county)

    Average Commute Time to Work     19.7 minutes



    Employment by Industry
    2002 US Census

    Industry

    Total Employment

    Percent of Labor Force

    Manufacturing    

    1,419

    19.3

    Agriculture/ Mining

    735

    10.0

    Construction

    550

    7.5

    Transportation/ Utilities

    529

    7.2

    Wholesale Trade

    223

    3.0

    Retail Trade

    874

    11.9

    Finance, Insurance, Real Estate

    242

    3.3

    Services

    2,499

    33.9

    Government

    221

    3.0




    Wages by Industry
    Hourly Wage Rates by Occupation                               2001 MERMEC Labor Study

    Industry

    Wright County Low

    Wright County Average

    Wright County High

    Missouri Average

    National Average

    Managers

     

     

     

     

     

    Administrative Services Manager

    $18.05

    $20.16

    $22.53

    $20.80

    $25.31

    Financial Manager*

    $19.08

    $29.73

    $39.48

    $29.61

    $34.89

    Human Resources/Training Manager

    $18.00

    $22.00

    $26.50

    $27.84

    $30.49

    Industrial Production Manager

    $17.11

    $21.09

    $22.30

    $28.68

    $31.55

    Medicine & Health Related Manager*

    $19.10

    $26.40

    $39.10

    $26.04

    $29.63

    Purchasing Manager*

    $9.30

    $18.00

    $24.63

    $24.53

    $27.64

    Sales Manager*

    $12.62

    $21.00

    $28.02

    $33.45

    $35.69

    Professional Technical

     

     

     

     

     

    Accountants & Auditors*

    $15.33

    $18.38

    $21.38

    $21.34

    $23.12

    Computer Programmers*

    $19.00

    $26.00

    $37.50

    $28.48

    $29.31

    Data Base Administrators*

    $12.12

    $17.77

    $21.77

    $26.36

    $26.83

    Drafters, Including CAD*

    $10.90

    $16.40

    $25.50

    $15.84

    $17.84

    Editors*

    $11.10

    $14.10

    $18.20

    $18.70

    $21.32

    Electrical Engineers*

    $14.80

    $21.30

    $26.40

    $28.36

    $31.89

    Electronics Repairer*

    $11.60

    $16.70

    $22.40

    $16.79

    $17.16

    First Line Supervisor, All Other*

    $7.89

    $16.27

    $19.99

    $19.64

    $20.24

    Industrial Engineer*

    $17.10

    $20.30

    $27.10

    $27.01

    $28.80

    Licensed Practical Nurses

    $9.77

    $11.81

    $12.05

    $13.05

    $14.65

    Mechanical Engineer*

    $8.40

    $17.00

    $27.00

    $26.84

    $29.26

    Registered Nurses

    $12.53

    $16.33

    $17.82

    $20.07

    $22.31

    Secretary (Legal, Executive)*

    $9.20

    $11.10

    $14.10

    $15.68

    $17.00

    Systems Analyst*

    $12.70

    $26.10

    $38.20

    $26.70

    $29.43

    Training & Development Specialist*

    $19.00

    $16.00

    $19.00

    $18.81

    $20.95

    Writers & Authors*

    $7.40

    $12.90

    $11.00

    $18.25

    $22.81

    Clerical

     

     

     

     

     

    Accounting/Bookkeeping Clerks*

    $7.00

    $9.97

    $11.52

    $11.79

    $12.96

    Clerks, General Office

    $7.67

    $8.91

    $9.80

    $10.30

    $10.72

    Data Entry Operators*

    $8.20

    $9.40

    $12.40

    $9.90

    $10.66

    Receptionist

    $7.04

    $8.45

    $10.14

    $9.22

    $9.99

    Secretary

    $7.73

    $9.10

    $10.81

    $10.88

    $11.98

    Shipping & Receiving Clerks*

    $7.50

    $8.25

    $10.00

    $10.98

    $11.22

    Stock Clerk*

    $6.18

    $7.18

    $8.18

    $10.17

    $9.93

    Production/ Maintenance

     

     

     

     

     

    Assembler, Production

    $5.79

    $7.07

    $11.14

    $11.35

    $11.29

    Carpenters*

    $7.60

    $10.70

    $14.40

    $18.09

    $16.88

    Electricians*

    $9.90

    $12.60

    $15.80

    $21.55

    $20.29

    Hand Packers & Packagers*

    $6.80

    $8.40

    $11.90

    $7.78

    $8.19

    Machinery Maintenance Workers

    $7.75

    $10.59

    $13.17

    $14.72

    $15.47

    Machinists*

    $7.10

    $9.40

    $11.10

    $14.89

    $15.20

    Maintenance Repairs, General

    $7.08

    $9.33

    $10.25

    $13.93

    $14.14

    Mechanic, Automotive*

    $7.50

    $12.00

    $18.00

    $14.58

    $14.80

    Mechanic, Industrial Machinery*

    $9.00

    $14.40

    $18.10

    $17.93

    $18.02

    Plumber, Pipefitter, Steamfitter*

    $8.10

    $11.90

    $17.20

    $20.20

    $19.31

    Production Expediting Clerks*

    $9.50

    $11.50

    $14.50

    $15.88

    $15.64

    Sheet Metal Worker*

    $9.18

    $10.90

    $13.90

    $19.83

    $16.85

    Tool & Die Maker

    $10.00

    $13.16

    $15.23

    $19.40

    $20.07

    Truck Driver, Heavy*

    $10.60

    $13.20

    $14.60

    $16.84

    $15.78

    Truck Driver, Light*

    $8.00

    $10.00

    $12.00

    $12.47

    $11.84

    Welders & Cutters*

    $9.40

    $11.40

    $13.60

    $13.56

    $13.98

    Service

     

     

     

     

     

    Bank Tellers*

    $6.10

    $7.60

    $11.20

    $8.55

    $9.40

    Cashiers*

    $6.20

    $7.30

    $8.40

    $7.06

    $7.56

    Child Care Workers*

    $5.80

    $8.70

    $11.60

    $7.58

    $7.86

    Correctional Officers*

    $9.20

    $10.40

    $12.50

    $11.78

    $15.71

    Counter & Rental Clerks*

    $5.10

    $5.90

    $7.20

    $8.86

    $8.98

    Fast Food Workers

    $5.49

    $5.99

    $8.03

    $6.88

    $6.84

    Hairdressers & Cosmetologists*

    $6.80

    $8.40

    $9.90

    $9.63

    $9.96

    Janitors & Cleaners

    $5.89

    $6.75

    $11.46

    $8.62

    $9.17

    Maids & Housekeeping Cleaners*

    $5.50

    $6.75

    $9.00

    $7.19

    $7.78

    Nursing Aides & Orderlies

    $5.75

    $7.15

    $9.50

    $8.14

    $9.18

    Waiters/Waitresses*

    $3.75

    $4.75

    $5.75

    $7.08

    $7.09

    Sales

     

     

     

     

     

    Customer Service Representative*

    $7.90

    $10.20

    $13.60

    $12.41

    $12.75

    Sales Representative*

    $12.90

    $17.20

    $38.50

    $23.95

    $24.65

    Salespersons, Parts*

    $8.10

    $10.70

    $14.20

    $12.03

    $12.12

    Salespersons, Retail*

    $6.10

    $8.30

    $10.20

    $9.51

    $9.74

    Telemarketing Representative*

    $6.90

    $8.10

    $9.90

    $9.49

    $10.32




    Weekly Wage Rates by Sector
    2001 MERMEC Labor Study

    Sector    

    Wright County Wage

    Missouri Wage

    Government

    $ 465

    $ 581

    Manufacturing    

    $ 403

    $ 767

    Services

    $ 319

    $ 577

    Overall                  

    $ 374

    $ 604




     Workforce Training Programs & Incentives

    Tax Credits

    Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit- provides a financial incentive to employers to hire long-term welfare recipients.  The employer would receive up to $8,500 per new hire in federal income tax credits that is certified through the Missouri Division of Workforce Development.  Credits can be carried back and carried forward. 

    Work Opportunity Tax Credit- provides a financial incentive for employers to hire workers from one of eight targeted groups of people with barriers to employment.  A federal income tax credit of $2,400 per new hire will be issued and unused credits can carry back or forward.  

     

    Training Programs

    Customized Training Program- provides financial assistance to companies for training and retraining of new and existing workers.  Funding can be used for classroom training and certain on-the-job training for specific industries and wage levels.  

    Community College New Jobs Training Program- designed to assist companies with training costs for newly created jobs.  Training costs will be financed by 2.5% of withholding tax on gross wages of first 100 new jobs.  Training activities such as skill assessment, orientation, pre-employment training, occupational skill training, and on-the-job training can be included in the project.

    Employed Worker Training Program- this new training program is only available for 12 counties within the South-Central WIB.  It provides reimbursement, up to 50% of wages, for training related to job retention, technology upgrade or retooling, or career advancement.  These funds can be for "on-the-job" programs implemented by company trainers or local workforce training institutions. 





    Workforce Partners