Gerald YoungPost-secondary institutions experienced a decline in staffing last year, according to a new report from the MissionSquare Research Institute.
The research titled, “Postsecondary Education Staffing,” analyzed projected workforce levels, current staffing and college enrollment trends.
Between January 1999 and January 2020, college and university staff increased by 51%. Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing decreased by 9% in 2020.
Technical and trade schools saw a similar employment decline—13%—from January to December 2020 after a 67% increase up until 2014. While junior colleges continued to see a 51% decline in employment between October 2010 and January 2020, the report found.
“The pandemic has placed extraordinary burdens on postsecondary education – from finances to workforce to technology issues,” said Gerald Young, senior research analyst at MissionSquare Research Institute. “Understanding the underlying structures and labor force needs of the wide range of education employers helps inform efforts to recruit and retain skilled employees, now and into the future.”
