A WORD FROM YOUR CHAMBER PEOPLE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WORKFORCE CRISIS: How Lancaster County is Responding T alk with any Lancaster County business owner about their opportunities for the future and it won't be long until the subject of workforce comes up. Be it through surveys, anecdotal evidence and/or flat-out facts, there is no denying that the broad topic of workforce is top of mind with the vast majority of our local businesses. From lamenting the lack of "soft skills" (showing up on time; working effectively in teams; problem solving) to the need for engineers, physicians and researchers, Lancaster County's workforce challenges run the spectrum of job and industry needs. In simplest terms, the immediate scope of the challenge is reflected in our unemployment rate of 4.0%, a rate that most equate with full employment for an area. Yet, the issue is far larger than that simple statistic. Consider the fact that the High Companies alone see a need 52 | LANCASTERTHRIVING! | Spring/Summer2017http://www.lancasterchamber.com/log.aspx?type=KWMB&rt=MEMB&url=www.high.net