Southeastern Idaho aims for better educated workforce

High-tech jobs are coming to the region. It sounds like good news, but the challenge is, keeping up with the economic expansion and meeting those needs with an educated workforce. However, southeastern Idaho has a bit of a problem.

“And we anticipate 3,500 construction jobs annually over that four-year period,” said Dana Kirkham, CEO of Regional Economic Development of Eastern Idaho. She is referring to the SMR project or small modular reactor. NuScale Power, a nuclear power company from Oregon, and Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems or UAMPS, aims to build 12 of the small reactors near Idaho Falls and the Idaho National Laboratory. The first of its kind technology would provide electrical energy back into the power grid. Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper is excited about the economic potential.

“Puts Idaho on the map. It is significant for our country and it has a global impact and to be a part of something. When Idaho Falls is part of something that’s global, that’s a very special feeling. It’s just exciting and it’s fun to be part of all of the conversations surrounding this. It’s exciting to be a part of the preparation,” said Casper.

John Regetz with Bannock Development is just as excited about the expansion of the FBI in Pocatello.

“Number one, we have a great opportunity for our housing contractors, builders, and developers, to support this project,” said Regetz.

Idaho State Sen. Mark Nye of District 29 in Pocatello echoes the sentiment at the recent 27th Annual Economic Symposium.

“It’s really excited and a great thing for Pocatello. There will be new jobs, new people and it will really help the economy. It was a great new basis for higher paying jobs. We’re lucky,” said Nye.

The construction of the SMR project in Idaho Falls would span more than four years. Once in operation, the study from Boise State University and the University of Idaho shows 300-plus permanent jobs would need to be filled. These jobs would be high-skilled, technical jobs requiring a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

“Hopefully be some homegrown local talent that goes there. I suspect they’ll have to import some of that as well,” said Kirkham.

“A lot of the raw talent is going to have to come from ISU in the future,” said Regetz.

But the history shows these degrees often go out of state for higher paying jobs. The population that remains lacks the higher education.

“The reality is, we have an 18% post-secondary education rate in this region. So only 18% of our population has a bachelor’s degree or higher. And these are going to be jobs, particularly the permanent jobs, that require a minimum of that. So for us to meet that demand, we’ve got to increase the Go-on Rate,” said Kirkham.

Great opportunities are possible for students at surrounding universities, but the foreseen problem starts before the college level, convincing younger students to go on and gain that higher education, and once they get it, convincing them to stay upon graduation.

“You tend to see college enrollment, post-secondary enrollment increase because these students are like, ‘Wow. I can’t find a job. I realize I need more education in order to be competitive,'” said Dan Cravens with Idaho State University College of Business. “If folks from Idaho can’t fill those positions, it makes it hard for companies that offer that type of employment to stay here or to locate here in Idaho. So it is a significant concern.”

Kirkham said no one source is going to solve the problem. It takes a village.

“I think it is not just industry that is going to solve it. It is not just education that’s going to solve it. It’s not the public sector that is going to solve it. It’s a combination of all of that. It’s getting in at the junior high level and helping kids understand what is available to them, what opportunities, what those career paths look like, what the trajectory for education looks like to get to those jobs,” said Kirkham.

“Bringing together all the right people, with our eyes open, we might come up with some really creative solutions,” said Casper.

In a new report released just this week from the Idaho State Board of Education, the board suggests more high school seniors are planning to enroll in college or a career technical program this fall. More than 9,300 Idaho high school seniors have completed their Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms so far this year. That is up 2% from the same time last year.

NuScale Power’s SMR project is expected to break ground in 2021 and be up and running in 2026. The U.S. Department of Energy is sponsoring the first two of the 12 modules.

As for the FBI expansion, construction is already underway.