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Workforce and Talent
A Magnet for Smart Workers and Pipelines in Place for Your Growing Business
Hoover’s greatest strength is our people- 92,000 diverse individuals who create a patchwork of communities and stories that make us one of the South’s most dynamic communities. Combine an award-winning public school system and a modern community college campus in the middle of our city and Hoover is building a talent pipeline of the future. 58% of our residents hold a bachelor degree or higher providing a deep bench of talent for new and expanding businesses. Residents in Hoover benefit from a diverse corporate base, providing diverse career opportunities whatever their skills and experience.
Key Facts
- Total City Labor Force: 49,904
- Total Labor Force in 60 Minute Drive Time: 820,537
- City Labor Force Participation Rate (Civ. Pop 16+): 69% ( 62% US and 57%)
- City Bachelor Degree Attainment Rate: 60% (34% US and 27% AL)
- Inbound Commuters into City: 47,440
- Outbound Commuters from City: 33,108
Regional Four-Year Colleges
The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area is home to numerous colleges and universities, providing a talent pipeline for employers seeking workers with undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees:
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Birmingham-Southern College
- Samford University
- Miles College, a historically black college (HBCU)
- Faulkner University
Regional Two-Year Colleges
Hoover is immediately served by two community colleges:
- Jefferson State Community College
- Lawson State Community College, a historically black college (HBCU)
Riverchase Career Connection Center
Hoover's Riverchase Career Connection Center provides high school students with advanced career training opportunities. Hoover City Schools places a great emphasis on college and career readiness. This state-of-the-art facility houses five anchor programs:
- Building Science Academy (construction, electrical, HVAC and welding)
- Cyber Innovation Academy (programming, network administration, cyber security)
- Culinary Arts and Hospitality Academy (cooking, serving, event management)
- Fire and Emergency Services Academy (firefighting, emergency medical assistance)
- Health Science Academy (nursing, pharmacy and home health care)
Other programs are planned for the future. These include automotive technology, biotechnology, heavy equipment, and more.
Alabama Industrial Development Training
AIDT, an independent agency under the supervision and oversight of Alabama's Secretary of Commerce, encourages economic development through job-specific training. Training services are offered in many areas, at no cost, to new and expanding businesses throughout the State. AIDT was established to build a healthy state economy by recruiting and training a skilled workforce to attract new industries to the state and to expand existing industries. Job-specific pre-employment and on-the-job training programs are provided. The program provides a full range of customized technical training programs that are offered at no cost to employers and to the trainees. Leadership training programs are also available. In addition to training, AIDT offers services including trainee recruitment and screening, safety assistance, industrial maintenance assessments and continuous improvement/process improvement assessments. Training is conducted by AIDT staff or contracted instructors and delivered through classrooms or 38 Mobile Training Units (MTUs) customized to meet specific company needs. MTUs go directly to the employer site to provide classroom and hands-on training.
Sources: 2020 US Census, ESRI, JobsEQ