Long Island may face a shrinking workforce

The Long Island Association Research Institute has released a new report, “Fewer Youngsters Today, Fewer Workers Tomorrow,” based off 2017 U.S. Census data, highlighting that the 0-to 19-year-old age group on Long Island is declining and predicting that LI’s working population will shrink in the future.

Similarly, our community indicators noted this aging trend on Long Island as well. School enrollment in Nassau County and Suffolk County has also decreased by 1 percent and 5 percent respectively from 2012 to 2017, perhaps as a reflection of this declining age group.

The LIA also cited a troubling net loss of 20-to 39-year-olds migrating out of Long Island and called for an investment in housing, mass transit, workforce training and childcare to grow Long Island’s workforce.

NextLI’s recent survey of the region’s young adult population echoes the same sentiments.

Our study found that 78 percent of Long Island young adults support building more affordable housing:

Only 30 percent use public transportation at least weekly:

And young adults are split, but learning towards “no,” on whether Long Island offers enough 21st century jobs: