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Long Island analysts highlight summer hiring trends and aging workforce concerns
Summary
NYSDOL briefing showed summer hiring in accommodation and food services rose and that Long Island's workforce skews older — about 12% are 65 or older, more than 8,000 workers — prompting concern about replacement in trades and manufacturing.
Chital Patel, who oversees Long Island analysis for the New York State Department of Labor, reviewed regional trends including summer hiring patterns and a growing share of older workers. She said accommodation and food services grew after 2020 and peaked in 2021, and that educational services fell sharply in 2020 during COVID-related closures of camps and programs.
Patel also highlighted aging-of-the-workforce concerns in Long Island: "So most recently, about 12% of the workforce is 65 or older, which accounts for more than 8,000 workers," she said, noting the graying of the shop floor poses replacement challenges, particularly in manufacturing and skilled trades. Analysts recommended monitoring industry-specific retirement trends and connecting education/training pipelines to replace retiring workers.
Why it matters: an older regional workforce combined with sector-specific hiring patterns affects long-term labor supply and training needs for local employers and education partners.
