Lure of higher wages drawing workforce outside.
The summer season is the bread and butter of the Star Valley economy. Tourists make their way through the area, snow birds return and ranchers spend long hours making hay while the sun shines.

This summer things have been different. Businesses from the service industry to construction have been struggling to find enough employees to meet the demands of the local population.

“I have been asking myself where all the people have gone,” said Pam Wood. She and her husband, Rick, own and operate the Red Baron Drive-In in Afton. “We’ve muddled through.”

According to Pam, when she and her husband purchased the Red Baron in 2004 they employed 52 people every season. This summer they have managed to get by with less than 18.

“It takes nine people per shift and we run two shifts in a day,” said Pam. “Everyone works every day.”

In the event that someone needs time off, the rest of the crew picks up the slack. When that doesn’t work, the restaurant closes early.

“We’ve had to close at 4 p.m. for the last two Saturdays because we just did not have the staff to stay open,” said Pam. “Closing early on a Saturday definitely affects our business.”

For Pam and Rick, however, the summer season is almost over. They have chosen to close for the season on Tuesday, Sept. 4. They will reopen again in April, following Spring Break and hope that the employees are there to greet them in the spring.

Staff shortages are approaching the “critical” level at Star Valley Medical Center. The hospital board is looking at a wide range of options to attract and keep employees.

Right now the medical center is looking for people to work in housekeeping and dietary. They are also could use some physician receptionists, CNAs and nurses.

“The health care professional shortage is national and we have been pretty lucky in that we are better off than most hospitals around the country,” said Steve Perry, medical center CEO. “But even five years ago we would advertise for a housekeeping position or a cook and have a ton of applicants. Now are are lucky if we get any response.”

With the boom in construction, local builders have felt the pinch of the employee shortage as well. Some companies have not put in bids on projects they would have been thrilled been a part of in year’s past - knowing that if they get the big they will not have the workers to complete the project.

Some businesses in the valley anticipate an employee shortage in the fall as the school year begins. School district employees and students who have worked for the summer return to the classroom, creating more vacancies in the workforce.

“We definitely have a need for employees,” said Cindy Coziah, a manager and Burger King. “I try to anticipate the shortage a little, it is mostly the result of students going back to school.”

According to Coziah, right now she has eight employees on the schedule and could use up to 20 more. The restaurant will run a limited crew until more help can be found.

The crunch of qualified help has also infiltrated the areas of public safety. Local law enforcement, EMS and fire departments seem to be constantly on the lookout for more help.

The widespread workforce shortage in Star Valley brings a lot of questions to the table.

Where have all the workers gone?

What can local businesses do to entice employees to stay?

What will happen to the local economy if current trends continue?

“The workforce shortage is a national trend as well as a local trend,” said Karen Schneider, employment specialist at the Afton Workforce Center. “We have more people retiring at middle age and less skilled laborers to replace them.”

According to Schneider, the mineral and gas boom across the State of Wyoming is compounding the problem in many respects, but is not entirely to blame for the shortage of workers.

“Employees involved in the mineral and gas industry and making a ton of money and are getting paid a wages that [local businesses] cannot possibly match,” said Schneider. “But what is happening is also a natural trend.”

Schneider explained that there is an increasingly larger gap between the skills that people possess and the skills companies are looking for in employees.
“In Wyoming we have career training grants available to help offset that gap,” said Schneider. “For example, if a company comes to us and says this is what I need in an employee, we have the funds available to train and individual for that job, providing the employer agrees to hire that person when the training is completed.”

Workforce development training funds are also available to help businesses train their current employees in new skills or to fund new employment opportunities within the business.

“The state will pay up to 60 percent of these costs,” said Schneider. “The funds can really make it easier for local businesses to expand.”

Another factor working against employers in Lincoln County is the record low unemployment rate. According to Schneider, right now in Lincoln County the people who are willing and able to work, are working. While the state is trying to recruit employees from other areas of the nation, that is a slow moving process.

Meanwhile, local businesses are on the lookout for workers.

Schneider is willing to meet with local employers to discuss ideas on how to hire and retain qualified employees. Call 886-9260 to speak with her.

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