LINCOLN - The Nebraska Departments of Economic Development and Labor urge employers in the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas to participate in a workforce needs survey.  The goal of the Omaha Metro Survey of Hiring and Training Needs is to identify education, training, or skill gaps that may need to be addressed to ensure businesses have a workforce that is prepared for today’s challenges and the requirements of businesses around the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas.

Businesses will receive the survey in the coming weeks. The survey contains questions about employment characteristics, hiring requirements, skill level of the current workforce, and IT talent needs. The survey should be completed by owners, senior managers, human resource personnel, and first-line supervisors who are knowledgeable about the hiring and training needs of their company.

The study is being conducted by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the Nebraska Department of Labor, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research. Employers that participate in the survey and provide a contact email address will be among the first to receive a report detailing the outcomes of the study. The report will provide valuable data and insights regarding the labor force and underscore the hiring and training needs of area businesses. It will help identify skill gaps that may be present among potential job seekers. All results will be reported so that no individual organization or personnel can be identified.

Surveys may be returned to the Nebraska Department of Labor by November 6th using the envelope included with the survey, emailed to LMI_NE@nebraska.gov, or faxed to (402) 471-9867. For more information or for questions or comments about the survey, please visit the online portal at https://dol.nebraska.gov/las or contact the Nebraska Department of Labor by phone at (800) 876-1377 or by email at LMI_NE@nebraska.gov.

The results of the study will be published at NEworks.nebraska.gov.