Nonprofit organizations working to build Oregon’s workforce pipeline
By Kelly Kupcak for the Portland Business Journal
The cranes continue to take prominence in Portland’s landscape as the city is witnessing unprecedented growth from regional infrastructure investments. Construction is Oregon's fastest-growing sector, expanding by nearly 10 percent in the last year, according to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). Like the rest of the nation, the demand for skilled labor is at a critical juncture in Oregon. In the Portland metro area, this demand is increasing, as demonstrated by the 2018 labor market study commissioned by Metro and the City of Portland.
Career opportunities in the construction industry, however, have not historically been accessible to everyone in the community. As the region is rapidly becoming more diverse, there is significant opportunity for this increased diversity to be reflected in business growth, workforce training, and employment, who can benefit from strategic investment in a sector approach prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion.
The regional and collaborative approach connecting minority-owned businesses and under-represented workforce to the opportunities in the construction sector, both growth across the industry and significant economic reinvestment can be made to benefit communities across the region. With a focus on workforce, Oregon Tradeswomen is an example of a nonprofit organization that helps bridge the gap in connecting historically underrepresented populations to opportunities in the skilled trades workforce – an industry hungry for talent.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn