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We Know What Lehigh Valley Job Seekers Need

Knowing how to help Lehigh Valley job seekers begins with a clear understanding of the Lehigh Valley job market.

For the Lehigh Valley to remain competitive in the global economy, we must connect workforce development to the demands of business and industry. This means we need to be on the pulse of the latest job research and have a clear understanding of our local workforce, economy, and job market.  Learn more about the 2023 High Priority Occupations for the Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Area, or check out the data for the fastest-growing occupations in the Lehigh Valley.

Job Seeker Success Stories

Lehigh Valley Target Industries

An industry cluster is a group of industries that are closely linked by common product markets, labor pools, similar technologies, supplier chains, and/or other economic ties.  By working with businesses within the industry clusters, we can combine training needs for multiple firms with similar skill needs and help drive a market-based approach to workforce development.

It all boils down to making sure workers have the skills businesses need to be competitive and have the ability to obtain education to compete for higher wage jobs and career advancement.

Our five industry clusters were targeted because we believe that they will:

  • Provide above-average wages and be less reliant upon low-wage labor.
  • Incorporate a high-technology, knowledge, skill-set component.
  • Have synergy with existing Lehigh Valley workforce, infrastructure, educational and other institutions.
  • Leverage existing Lehigh Valley assets to minimize land, energy and other resources.
  • Expand upon established competitive positioning in the U.S. and globally.
  • Have a high value-added component in the local economy.
  • Be classified as growth industries at the state and/or national level. 

The Manufacturing industry is made up of businesses dealing with the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products.

These businesses may include  plants, factories, or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and materials-handling equipment. It may also include businesses that make new products by hand, out of the worker’s home, or those selling products made on the premises such as bakeries, candy stores, and custom tailors. Businesses dealing with manufacturing may also contract with other establishments to process their materials for them.

Includes:

  • Miscellaneous Manufacturing
  • Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
  • Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
  • Food Manufacturing
  • Machinery Manufacturing
  • Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
  • Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing
  • Chemical Manufacturing
  • Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
  • Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
  • Primary Metal Manufacturing
  • Apparel Manufacturing
  • Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
  • Paper Manufacturing
  • Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing
  • Printing and Related Support Activities
  • Wood Product Manufacturing
  • Textile Product Mills
  • Textile Mills
  • Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing
  • Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing

The Healthcare and Social Assistance sector is made up of establishments providing health care and social assistance for individuals. The industry includes both health care and social assistance because it is often difficult to distinguish between the boundaries of these two activities. Positions across all industries within healthcare and social assistance require special professional training and experience. Many of the industries in the sector are defined based on the educational degree held by the practitioners included in the industry.

Includes:

  • General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
  • Offices of Physicians
  • Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly
  • Child Day Care Services
  • Individual and Family Services
  • Offices of Other Health Practitioners
  • Home Health Care Services
  • Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
  • Offices of Dentists
  • Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities
  • Outpatient Care Centers
  • Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
  • Other Ambulatory Health Care Services
  • Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals
  • Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals
  • Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services
  • Other Residential Care Facilities

The Finance and Insurance sector is made up of establishments primarily engaged in financial transactions (transactions involving the creation, liquidation, or change in ownership of financial assets) and/or in facilitating financial transactions.

Within this sector, three principal types of activities are identified:

  1. Raising funds by taking deposits and/or issuing securities and, in the process, incurring liabilities. Establishments engaged in this activity use raised funds to acquire financial assets by making loans and/or purchasing securities. Putting themselves at risk, they channel funds from lenders to borrowers and transform or repackage the funds with respect to maturity, scale, and risk. This activity is known as financial intermediation.
  2. Pooling of risk by underwriting insurance and annuities. Establishments engaged in this activity collect fees, insurance premiums, or annuity considerations; build up reserves; invest those reserves; and make contractual payments. Fees are based on the expected incidence of the insured risk and the expected return on investment.
  3. Providing specialized services facilitating or supporting financial intermediation, insurance, and employee benefit programs.

In addition, monetary authorities charged with monetary control are included in this sector.

Includes:

  • Monetary Authorities – Central Bank 
  • Credit Intermediation and Related Activities
  • Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities
  • Insurance Carriers and Related Activities
  • Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles

The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sector is made up of careers that require a high degree of expertise and training. Activities performed include: legal advice and representation; accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll services; architectural, engineering, and specialized design services; computer services; consulting services; research services; advertising services; photographic services; translation and interpretation services; veterinary services; and other professional, scientific, and technical services.

Includes:

  • Legal Services
  • Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services
  • Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
  • Specialized Design Services
  • Computer Systems Design and Related Services
  • Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
  • Scientific Research and Development Services
  • Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
  • Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The Transportation, Warehousing and Logistics sector includes industries providing transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage for goods, scenic and sightseeing transportation, and support activities related to modes of transportation. Businesses in these industries use transportation equipment or transportation related facilities as a productive asset. The type of equipment depends on the mode of transportation. The modes of transportation are air, rail, water, road, and pipeline.

Includes: 

  • Warehousing and Storage
  • General Freight Trucking
  • Couriers and Express Delivery Services
  • School and Employee Bus Transportation
  • Specialized Freight Trucking
  • Charter Bus Industry
  • Local Messengers and Local Delivery
  • Rail Transportation
  • Taxi and Limousine Service
  • Support Activities for Road Transportation
  • Other Pipeline Transportation
  • Freight Transportation Arrangement
  • Scheduled Air Transportation
  • Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation
  • Non Scheduled Air Transportation
  • Support Activities for Air Transportation
  • Support Activities for Rail Transportation
  • Other Support Activities for Transportation