Vermont Businesses Get Creative to Attract Workers Amid Growing Labor Shortage and Aging Population
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Lake Champlain Chocolates in Vermont hiring retirees for seasonal jobs as employers struggle to attract workers amid an aging population.
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Vermont's share of residents in prime working years is the lowest in the U.S. while over 20% are 65+ - previewing future national trends.
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Businesses raising wages, adding benefits, changing operations to adapt to labor shortage - those that can't may struggle.
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Investments in training & automation help make existing workers more productive, but economists say immigration key to boosting labor force.
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Nonprofit Vermont Futures Project pushing to increase state's population to 802,000 by 2035 from under 650,000 now to combat shortage.