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AlabamaWorks! and the Alabama Workforce Council (AWC) have announced the Governor’s Survey of Employer Competencies.

The survey will survey business owners in each sector and region of the state to assist the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways (ACCCP) with identifying the current in-demand occupations and competencies, as well as the credentials of value aligned to those occupations.

AlabamaWorks! and the AWC recognize that the majority of jobs lack specification regarding the necessary skills required to perform the job and, as a result, the bachelor’s degree has become the default certification for most jobs that require a postsecondary education. Identifying the skills, knowledge, abilities and attributes needed to succeed within in-demand jobs will prepare Alabama’s workforce for the future.

“This survey is vitally important as we continue in our ‘Strong Start, Strong Finish’ education and workforce initiative,” Gov. Kay Ivey said in a release. “We remain committed to our post-secondary attainment goal of adding 500,000 highly skilled employees to the workforce by 2025, and this survey will help us clearly identify the in-demand careers and associated skills that will help us develop the necessary competency models needed to reach that goal and provide quality opportunities for Alabama’s citizens.”

The Governor’s Survey of Employer Competencies will be conducted annually to assist the ACCCP’s 16 Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) with their work of linking credentials of value to one or more specific competencies and then sequencing competencies to build the DNA for a career.

“The AWC has consistently engaged in and supported efforts regarding credentialing,” noted AWC Chairman Tim McCartney. “The future of workforce in Alabama will be highly impacted by these efforts to establish clear career pathways that are built upon the skills and knowledge shown to be in the most need and provide the highest value for employees and employers across the state.”

Ultimately, the specificity provided through the survey results will enable the unbundling of traditional degrees that will make it easier for employers to create competency-based job descriptions by listing the specific skills required for a job, rather than using associate or bachelor’s degrees as placeholders. Survey results will also further verify that the work of the ACCCP is accurate and aligned to business and industry priorities. Additionally, the results will drive draft competency models to help facilitate this important workforce shift.

Here’s the official survey: https://universityofalabama.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_42EUK1Eg7Zliak5

Employers of all sizes and from each industry sector are highly encouraged to respond to the survey as responses are critical for the future of workforce in Alabama. Responses will be accepted through  June 26^th at 5 p.m.