REGIONAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT … Plans are being finalized for the Region’s first Economic Summit on Friday, 27 April 2007, on the campus of Missouri Southern.  The Summit’s keynote address will be delivered by Erik Peterson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC.  Mr. Peterson directs CSIS’s Global Strategies Program that publishes the often-quoted Future Watch report.  Mr. Peterson is a speaker in great demand.  He brings a powerful message that gives meaning to “thinking globally and acting locally.” 
         
Also on the Summit’s program is Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius along with a number of elected officials, community leaders, and decision-makers from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.  The Summit is the rare opportunity to assess the economic condition and future of our region. 

In addition to an agenda of exciting and informative speakers, participants can engage in focused seminars to equip economic development efforts, foster the arts, anticipate resource demands, and pursue environmental sustainability. 

Registration and detailed information on the Summit will be distributed in early 2007. 

2007 LEGISLATIVE INTERNS … Five interns have been tapped to serve in the Missouri General Assembly beginning in January 2007.  Those selected are:  Skylar Ross, Senior, Political Science major from Joplin, will work for Rep. Steve Hunter; Jonathan Russell, Senior, Political Science major from Joplin, will work for Rep. Marilyn Ruestman; Donovan Mayes, Junior, Political Science major from Ft. Smith, Arkansas, will work for Rep. John Bowman; Sean Grove, Junior, International Business major from Joplin, will work for Rep. Ron Richard; and, Adam Hancock, Junior, Political Science/English major from Joplin, will work for Sen. Gary Nodler.  Each intern receives a 12-hour scholarship and $1,000 stipend to cover expenses while in Jefferson City.

 

PANDEMIC FLU PLANNING … Work continues on the Joplin/Jasper Health Department Pandemic Flu Planning project.  The effort is intended to lay plans for the possibility of an outbreak of the N5H1 virus, the so-called Avian Flu.  The volunteer group working on the plan represents the area’s health care providers, schools, the media, emergency service providers, faith-based and social services organizations, and interested citizens.  The region’s residents can expect to hear much from this active group. 

 

LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF THE JOB MARKET IN MISSOURI … The Center’s favorite source of interesting stuff is the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), a service of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, headed by Dr. Marty Romitti.  Here is MERIC’s projection of the fastest growing occupations in the state. 

The 20 occupations with the fastest projected growth in the state from 2005 to 2007 include five computer and mathematical occupations, five construction and extraction occupations and four education-related occupations.

Network systems and data communications analysts are projected to grow the most rapidly, increasing by 9.49 percent from 2005 to 2007.

Missouri is projected to have 483 openings statewide for computer software engineers, with an average annual wage of $73,690. Kansas City is projected to have 139 openings for computer software engineers, with an average annual wage of $71,260. St. Louis is projected to have 282 openings for computer software engineers, with an average annual wage of $77,890.

Cashiers are projected to have the most openings, though all openings are projected to be replacements. Registered nurses will have more openings due to growth than replacements, indicating continued strong future demand for this occupation.SOC ccupation Title

                                                                                                Percent            Avg Annual

1          Network Systems and Data
               Communications Analysts                                          9.49                 $59,160
2          Rock Splitters                                                               9.01                 $30,050
3          Gaming Surveillance Officers                                       8.22                 $27,350
4          Computer Software Engineers, Systems                      7.54                 $72,400
5          Tile and Marble Setters                                                7.39                 $41,600
6          Home Health Aides                                                       7.33                 $18,500
7          Slot Key Persons                                                          7.04                 $29,430
8          Computer Software Engineers, Applications                 6.83                 $73,690
9          Heating AC Refrig Mechanics                                       6.76                 $39,770
10        Roofers                                                                         6.54                 $36,620
11        Gaming Supervisors                                                     6.52                 $42,500
12        Network and Computer Systems Administrators           6.42                 $56,840
13        Helpers – Roofers                                                        6.35                 $22,970
14        Preschool Teachers                                                     6.27                 $22,070
15        Home Economics Teachers                                          6.18                 $44,460
16        Database Administrators                                              6.02                 $58,330
17        Helpers – Brickmasons                                                 6.02                 $35,650
18        Philosophy Teachers, Postsecondary                          6.01                 $56,240
19        Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary                         6.01                 $60,520
20        Personal and Home Care Aides                                    6.01                 $17,380

Data Sources: MERIC Short-term Occupational Projections, MERIC Occupational Employment and Wage Survey and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

MINIMUM WAGE … A number of states approved increases in the minimum wage during the November election.  In addition, the incoming Democrat-majority in Congress has signaled an increase in the Federal minimum wage is a top priority for enactment in 2007.  The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, clarifies the extent of the minimum wage in the national economy as well as in our four states, prior to the recently increased wage.    

According to Current Population Survey estimates for 2005, 75.6 million American workers           were paid at hourly rates, representing 60.1 percent of all wage and salary workers.1 Of those paid by the hour, 479,000 were reported as earning exactly $5.15, the prevailing Federal    minimum wage. Another 1.4 million were reported as earning wages below the minimum. Together, these 1.9 million workers with wages at or below the minimum made up 2.5   percent of all hourly-paid workers. The following are some highlights from the 2005 data.

1. Minimum wage workers tend to be young. About half of workers earning $5.15 or less were under age 25, and about one-fourth of workers earning at or below the minimum wage were age 16-19. Among employed teenagers, about 9 percent earned $5.15 or less. About 2 percent of workers age 25 and over earned the minimum wage or less. Among those age 65 and over, the proportion was about 3 percent.
2. About 3 percent of women paid hourly rates reported wages at or below the prevailing Federal minimum, compared with under 2 percent of men.
3. Less than 3 percent of white hourly-paid workers earned $5.15 or less. Among black, Asian, and Hispanic hourly-paid workers, about 2 percent earned the Federal minimum wage or less. For whites and Hispanics, women were twice as likely as men to earn $5.15 or less.
4. Never-married workers, who tend to be young, were more likely to earn the minimum wage or less than married workers.
5. Among hourly-paid workers age 16 and over, 2 percent of those who had a high school diploma but had not gone on to college earned the minimum wage or less.
6. Part-time workers (persons who usually work less than 35 hours per week) were more likely than their full-time counterparts to be paid $5.15 or less (about 6 percent versus 1 percent).
7. By occupational group, the highest proportion of workers earning at or below the Federal minimum wage occurred in service occupations, at about 8 percent. About three in four workers earning $5.15 or less in 2005 were employed in service occupations, mostly in food preparation and service jobs. The proportion of hourly-paid workers whose earnings were reported at or below $5.15 was lowest for persons employed in management, professional, and related occupations and natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations (less than 1 percent for both).
8. The industry with the highest proportion of workers with reported hourly wages at or below $5.15 was leisure and hospitality (about 14 percent). About three-fifths of all workers paid at or below the Federal minimum wage were employed in this industry, primarily in the food services and drinking places component. For many of these workers, tips and commissions supplement the hourly wages received.
9. Among the states, Oklahoma and West Virginia had the highest proportion of hourly-paid workers earning at or below $5.15 (at about 4 percent). Alaska, California, and Washington had the lowest proportion earning the minimum wage or less (less than 1 percent). It should be noted that some states have minimum wage laws establishing minimum wage standards that exceed the Federal level of $5.15 per hour.
10. The proportion of hourly-paid workers earning the prevailing Federal minimum wage or less has trended downward since 1979, when data first began to be collected on a regular basis.

State	Number of workers (in thousands)				Percent distribution				Percent of workers paid hourly rates
	Total paid hourly rates	At or below $5.15 per hour			Total paid hourly rates	At or below $5.15 per hour			At or below $5.15 per hour
		Total	At $5.15	Below $5.15		Total	At $5.15	Below $5.15	Total	At $5.15	Below $5.15

Total, 16 years and over

75,609

1,882

479

1,403

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

2.5

0.6

1.9

Arkansas

700

25

14

11

0.9

1.3

2.9

0.8

3.6

2.0

1.6

Kansas

770

27

8

19

1.0

1.4

1.7

1.4

3.5

1.0

2.5

Missouri

1,613

56

15

41

2.1

3.0

3.1

2.9

3.5

0.9

2.5

Oklahoma

841

36

10

26

1.1

1.9

2.1

1.9

4.3

1.2

3.1