Birmingham's Workforce
The Birmingham region’s people are its greatest asset. The economic and social well-being of a community’s residents ultimately defines the success of community and economic development efforts. The most effective method for elevating incomes is to elevate education levels.
In today’s increasingly competitive environment for knowledge-intensive jobs, talent development is vital. Workers need to be adequately prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, not simply the jobs of today. To provide the skilled workers that companies are looking for, the Birmingham region is optimizing its education pipeline, while effectively retaining and recruiting talented workers to the region.
Top flight colleges and universities, committed teachers and parents and involved businesses drive the present success and future promise of primary, secondary and higher education in Birmingham.
Consistently strengthening the educational opportunities in the region is a key component of the Birmingham Business Alliance’s workforce development initiatives. Click here to learn more about OnBoard Birmingham and the BBA's Talent Recruitment Project.
The Birmingham Region’s Workforce: By The Numbers
26 accredited universities and colleges enrolling 130,000+ students and producing 20,000+ graduates annually.
Alabama is home to 15 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – the most of any state in the nation. These 15 colleges and universities enroll over 38,000 students and produce nearly 5,000 graduates annually.
25,000+ veteran workforce
800,000+ workers within 60 minutes of downtown Birmingham
Home to No. 2 ranked workforce training agency in the nation – AIDT
Designated TechHire community training 925 prospective, IT workers for the area’s tech talent pipeline
UAB students represent over 100 countries
39 percent of Birmingham’s workforce (25 years +) hold an associate’s degree or higher, within a percentage point of the national average.
Workforce Laborshed
With its average 26-minute commute time, Birmingham’s vast network of five interstates easily connects over 800,000 workers in the metro and surrounding five counties to employment opportunities. Companies in the core counties – Jefferson, including city of Birmingham, and Shelby – represent nearly nine out of ten jobs in the Birmingham metro.
Talent Pipeline
The Birmingham region offers skilled, diverse talent powered by the world-class University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and surrounding 26 accredited universities and colleges enrolling over 130,000 students and producing over 20,000 prospective employees annually. Learn more about the quality schools, colleges, and universities in the Birmingham region
Top-Ranked Workforce Training Program
Ranked as the number two workforce training program in the nation by Business Facilities, Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT), a division of the Alabama Department of Commerce, is considered one of Alabama’s best incentives. AIDT provides free, customized recruiting and workforce training programs to new and expanding companies and employees in the Birmingham region. Specifically, AIDT offers these services to qualifying companies:
AIDT Services Offered
To meet the needs of companies and employees across Alabama, AIDT operates several workforce training centers, including the Alabama Workforce Training Center (AWTC) in downtown Birmingham, which trains the citizens of Alabama in the construction and manufacturing trades.