The Chappell Culpeper Family Foundation engaged ESI to conduct a comprehensive two-phase labor market analysis to identify strategic workforce development opportunities across the five-county Greater Philadelphia region. This research informed the Foundation’s investments in training programs that create accessible pathways to family-sustaining careers for residents across Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties.
Phase I examined industries with substantial job growth over the previous decade, prioritizing occupations accessible without a four-year degree that offered family-sustaining wages and clear advancement potential. Using Lightcast Labor Market Analytics and real-time job postings analysis, Phase I identified 11 high-opportunity occupations spanning healthcare, advanced manufacturing, construction trades, and life sciences sectors.
Phase II provided detailed analysis of these 11 occupations, examining geographic concentration within the five-county region, educational and credentialing pathways including certificate programs and apprenticeships, career progression opportunities, leading regional employers, and current labor demand patterns. ESI analyzed county-level employment data, median wages, job postings, training program locations, and credential requirements to identify gaps between labor supply and employer demand across the chosen occupations.
ESI found that the 11 analyzed occupations collectively experienced 26 percent growth over the past decade and projected to grow 25 percent over the next decade. The analysis revealed significant opportunities beyond healthcare, with trades and manufacturing occupations offering comparable or higher wages. For example, we ESI found that HVAC technician wages exceed family-sustaining wage thresholds at entry; and are in high demand throughout the entire region, however especially in Philadelphia. The analysis identified critical supply gaps between program completions and employer demand across multiple occupations. For instance, the region had 994 Dental Assistant job openings in 2023 versus only 234 program completions.
ESI provided strategic recommendations including place-based training investments to address geographic disparities in program access; and multi-year capacity-building grants with wraparound services including transportation assistance, childcare subsidies, and career coaching, extending 6-12 months post-program completion.
