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(Boston
Orange 編譯)麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie
Baker)和副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)7月13日一早，在尼倫街(Kneeland)75號14樓的塔芙茨發射台(Tufts Launchpad)宣佈麻州”未來工作”報告出爐。
獲得麻州人力訓練經費項目(WTFP)撥給10萬2千元，培訓27名員工，創造了20個就業機會的BioLabs，也派出董事長Johannes Fruehauf致詞。
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| BioLabs founder and president Johannes Fruehauf |
“未來工作”報告的重點包括，未來10年需要幫助數以千計的工作人員重新獲得認證。麻州政府正動議使用來自聯邦政府美國援救計畫(ARPA)29億元中的一部分，來擴大辦理諸如WTFP之類項目。麻州政府的計劃包括2億4千萬元用在人力發展及就業培訓上。
查理貝克表示，麻州正在從新冠病毒大流行之中復甦，狀況良好，期望促進經濟成長，”未來工作”報告給了麻州一個加強，保持競爭力的路線圖。麻州政府將因應該報告的發現，動用來自聯邦政府美國援救計畫的29億元，大力投資於住宅，就業培訓，以及城中區發展。麻州也將投資，使用托兒照顧，交通等其他工具來位居民提供更多彈性。
“未來工作"報告探討新冠病毒對麻州各地，人口地理，經濟領域，商業中心，地方城鎮中心，交通，以及公共空間等的影響。新冠病毒已轉變麻州居民如何工作的方式，加速了影響未來工作的現有因素，例如使用電子商務，適應自動化的腳步等等。此外，新因素也出現了，例如更廣泛的遠距或者實體及虛擬混合式的工作模式，商業旅行減少了等等。這些因素依據區域，行業，職業，性別，種族等，對麻州居民有著不同的影響。有鑑於此，該報告評估不同區域的這些趨勢，並分析它們對麻州門戶城市的影響。
麻州政府整理的”未來工作”報告重點包括，工作方式的改變，例如混合式及遠距，可能把”重心”從市區核心轉移出去。這經濟景觀的變化，同時意味著需要大量的人力訓練，以使員工具備未來經濟所需的技能。未來10年，大約30萬到40萬人需要轉型進不同職業，或不同職業類別。
該報告還發現，住宅價格高昂就和確保所有社區可以均沾麻州成長，都仍然會是挑戰。到2030年時，麻州大概需要建造12萬5千到20萬住宅單位。
這份”未來工作”報告，提出了8項洞察:
辦公室房地產需求可能下降，因為混合工作模式，工作的人在住宅區逗留更多時間。
混合工作模式很可能導致需要有彈性選擇的托兒服務，逼使托兒服務業的經營模式衍進。
公共交通工具搭乘量很可能下跌，尤其是通勤火車下跌量最大。
商業旅行和大流行之前的規模相比，可能有結構性縮減。
人力培訓需求可能出現前所謂的規模及速。
麻州人口很可能會增加，總體而言會比大流行之前更慢。
現有的公平挑戰會加遽。
公平的住宅機會將是留住及吸引人們的關鍵。
麻州政府因應報告發現的計畫包括:
動用29億元美國援救計畫(ARPA)的聯邦經費。
10億元用於住宅優先事項上，重點放在創造機會，在有色社區中讓人們擁有自己的家。
2億4千萬元用於人力培訓機會，培訓人們進入有高需求行業。
3億5千萬元用於城中區發展，以及經濟成長，幫助社區重新想像他們的城中區，並刺激發展。
1億7500萬元用於加強藥物使用及行為健康項目。
托兒服務改善: “未來工作”報告還呼籲創新托兒服務，以因應打工家庭改變了的需求。
一系列的計畫包括投資6億4千萬元聯邦經費，用於托兒服務，重點放在根據社會脆弱性(Social
Vulnerability)指數來有針對性的撥發經費給最需要地區，提升早期教育提供者的能力。
提高低收入家庭的托兒服務補助，擴大人們取得托兒服務的機會。
利用麻州人力發展項目來打造出穩定的早期教育者來源，以擴大人們取得可負擔照顧的機會。
和企業界合作，以更好的了解特定行業及地區對彈性的特定需求。
交通彈性及改善: MBTA及麻州交通廳(MassDOT)將修改時刻表，並做其他調整，以支援改變了的工作習慣，以及未來工作報告所辨識的其他趨勢。
和大流行前嚴重偏向上午和下午高峰時的服務相比，通勤鐵路的新區域鐵路時刻表代表了轉向更為一致的日常正規服務。這些調整反映了對乘客量趨勢的分析。
新區域鐵路時刻表支持越來越多的出門習慣，例如線內(非波士頓)行程，到門戶城市的反向通勤，也支持遠距工作者的本地行程，每週3天的通勤者。
持續宣傳週末服務，例如10元的週末套票還可推廣到重點娛樂區及波士頓市外遊客景點的旅遊。塞冷鎮(Salem)今年的週末乘客量是2019年的110%。
共享街道及空間補助款項目也幫助社區支援戶外用餐，以及替代式交通模式，例如騎自行車，走路等。從去年起，該項目共發出3300萬元給183個社區，執行了300多個項目。
查詢未來工作報告詳情，可上網https://www.mass.gov/doc/future-of-work-in-massachusetts-report/download。
Baker-Polito Administration Releases Future of Work Report; Outlines Ongoing Steps To Address Findings
Administration Taking Action
on Housing, Workforce Development, Transportation, Child Care
BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today released the Future of Work Report, commissioned by the Administration to evaluate the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed work habits in Massachusetts as the Commonwealth emerges from the pandemic. The Administration also outlined steps that it is taking to address the key findings of the report, with investments and other initiatives to boost housing production and downtown economies, connect workers with skills for high-demand fields, support changing transportation needs, promote flexibility in child care, and more.
Click here to read the report.
Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito announced the release of the report today at an event held at the Tufts Launchpad location for BioLabs, a biotech startup accelerator that is receiving $102,000 to train 27 workers and create 20 jobs as part of the latest round of awards from the Administration’s Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP). In total, the WTFP program is awarding $8 million through this latest round to about 100 businesses statewide to support the training of 4,300 workers with a range of skills like project management, advanced software training, and other technical skills. A key takeaway from the report is the need to re-credential hundreds of thousands of workers over the next decade, and the Administration is proposing to boost investments in programs like the WTFP through its $2.9 billion plan to spend part of the discretionary funds received by the Commonwealth from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). The Administration’s plan includes $240 million for workforce development and job-training programs.
“Massachusetts is well-positioned as we emerge from the pandemic and look to promote economic growth, and the Future of Work Report provides us with a roadmap to build on our strengths and address areas that remain challenges,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our Administration is working to respond to this report’s findings by pursuing significant investments in housing, job-training and downtown development through our plan to invest $2.9 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. We are also making investments and using other tools to provide more flexibility for residents in child care and transportation, and we look forward to continuing to partner with workers, businesses and communities to respond to the needs raised in this report.”
“The Future of Work Report provides us with a blueprint for building up the Commonwealth’s housing stock, workforce, downtown economies, and infrastructure,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The Report evaluated potential changes in the economic landscape for each region of Massachusetts, and underscores the importance of our proposals to invest in housing, job-training and communities.”
The Future of Work Report explores what the implications of COVID-19 might be for the Commonwealth across its regions, demographics, economic sectors, commercial centers, local downtowns, transportation, and public spaces. COVID-19 has shifted how Massachusetts residents work, which has accelerated many existing factors that impact the future of work (such as the use of e-commerce and the pace of adoption of automation). In addition, new factors have emerged (such as the spread of remote and hybrid work and a reduction in business travel). These factors impact Massachusetts residents differently based on region, industry, occupation, gender, and race. Recognizing this, the report evaluated implications of these trends across different regions and analyzed their impact on the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities.
Report Takeaways:
The report concludes that changing ways of
working – such as hybrid and remote work – may shift the “center of gravity”
away from the urban core. At the same time, changes in the economic
landscape will mean that expansive workforce training will be needed to connect
workers with the skills they need for the future economy, with potentially
300,000-400,000 people needing to transition to different occupations or
occupational categories over the next decade.
Meanwhile, the report finds that the high cost of housing will remain a challenge – as will the need to ensure all communities can share equitably in the Commonwealth’s growth. The report estimates that the Commonwealth will need to produce 125,000-200,000 housing units by 2030.
The report provides eight core insights:
Demand for office real estate may fall as workers spend more time in residential areas due to hybrid work.
- Hybrid work will likely drive demand for
flexible childcare options, requiring childcare business models to evolve.
- Public transit ridership is likely to fall,
with the steepest decline likely in commuter rail.
- Business travel may be structurally reduced
from pre-pandemic levels.
- Workforce training may be required at an
unprecedented scale and pace.
- The Commonwealth population is likely to
grow, albeit more slowly than pre-pandemic
- Existing equity challenges will intensify.
- Equitable housing opportunities will be key
to retaining and attracting people.
Administration’s Plans to Address Report’s Findings:
The Baker-Polito Administration is using a
variety of tools to address the key findings from this report:
$2.9 Billion Plan for ARPA Funds: The Administration’s proposal to spend $2.9 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan addresses many of the key needs presented in the report. It focuses on building up the Commonwealth’s housing stock, workforce, downtown economies, and infrastructure. The Administration filed this plan in June and believes it is critical to act quickly to address these urgent priorities. The Future of Work Study underscores the importance of these investments, which would immediately begin to address the key challenges presented in the report, including:
$1 billion for housing priorities, with a particular focus on creating homeownership opportunities in communities of color. This proposal would be a significant step toward addressing the concerns raised in the report around the cost of housing and continued challenges around equity in different communities.
- $240 million for workforce training opportunities
to help train workers to connect with high-demand industries, a key
priority raised in the report. The report makes clear that these types of
retraining efforts could especially benefit women and communities of
color, addressing additional equity concerns raised by the report.
- $350 million for downtown development and
economic growth, to help
communities re-imagine their downtowns and spur development as the center
of gravity shifts away from the urban core.
- $175 million to boost substance use and
behavioral health programming,
a key area where communities of color have been most impacted throughout
the pandemic.
Child Care Improvements: The Future of Work Report calls for innovation in child care to meet the changing needs of working families and employers. To address continued challenges in the early education space as the Commonwealth emerges from the pandemic, the Administration is taking a series of actions:
Investing over $640 million in federal funding for child care, focusing on building capacity at early education providers and targeting funds to the greatest areas of need according to the Social Vulnerability Index.
- Sustaining increased child care subsidies
for low-income families and other pandemic-era changes that expand access
to care.
- Leveraging the Commonwealth’s workforce
development programs to develop a stable pipeline of early educators to
expand access to affordable care.
- Partnering with the business community to
best understand specific needs for flexibility across specific industries
and regions.
Transportation Flexibility and Improvements: To support shifting work habits and other trends identified in the report, the MBTA and MassDOT are modifying schedules and making other adjustments:
The Commuter Rail’s new Regional Rail Schedule represents a shift toward more consistent, regular service throughout the day, compared to pre-pandemic service that was heavily skewed toward AM and PM rushes. These adjustments reflect analysis of ridership trends throughout the pandemic and into the recovery. The new Regional Rail Schedule supports increasing travel habits like intra-line (non-Boston) trips and reverse commutes to Gateway Cities. It also supports teleworkers’ local trips and 3-day-per-week commuters.
- Continued promotion of weekend service, such
as $10 weekend passes will also promote travel to key recreational and
tourist destinations outside of Boston. For example, thanks in part to
this Commuter Rail promotion, Salem is seeing 110% of 2019 weekend
ridership this year.
