Modern in-state approaches for skills training, financial resources, and mental health stability of Idaho’s current and future workforce

High levels of net in-migration over the last few years puts Idaho in an enviable position. Nearly every industry is expected to experience job growth over the next 5-10 years. However, the state’s tight labor market and low unemployment rates are causing an imbalance between high employer demand for qualified labor and the lower, constrained supply of worker skill and availability.

A 2018 study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) that tracked graduates 10 years after receiving their bachelor’s degrees in 2007-2008, showed 59% of those currently employed were working in the same state where they graduated from college[1]. This means where employees train is significantly correlated with where they establish long-term roots for employment.

In this article, we’ll highlight five novel training, financial resource and youth mental health programs that were established within Idaho in 2023. These programs are first of their kind in the state and are focused on filling an unmet need for Idaho’s existing and upcoming labor force. While it is currently too early to determine if these new programs will be successful for the long-term, the goal is to grow and develop a qualified workforce within Idaho, reduce financial burdens and locational barriers, and retain skilled employees within the state in both urban and rural settings.

1. Idaho’s First Pediatrics Residency Program enrolled its first students in 2023

In July 2023, Full Circle Health and St. Luke’s Health System collaborated to welcome its first cohort of four medical school graduates that will spend their full 3-year residency exclusively focused on children’s care. Prior to this program, family physician students in Idaho would spend an average of only five months of their 3-year residency specifically studying children. Selected from an initial pool of 402 applicants (100 times oversubscribed), these first four prospective pediatricians will rotate from the metropolitan area of Boise to more rural areas such as Hailey and Fruitland where the need for practicing pediatricians is high. Prior to opening the Pediatrics Residency Program in Idaho, no specialized pediatric residency programs were in place between Seattle/Portland and Minnesota.For May 2022 Occupational Survey data, Idaho had the 2^nd lowest employment concentration nationally at .22. This means that for the size of its workforce, Idaho has between four to five times fewer pediatricians than we can expect to see on a national level. Idaho is estimated to have fewer than one pediatrician per 10,000 youth under age 18, which ranks as the 2^nd lowest ratio for all U.S. states behind Oklahoma (U.S. Average is 4.7 Pediatricians per 10,000 youth under age 18).

2. First Rural and Underserved Educator Incentive Program Recipients Awarded in 2023

In January 2023, the Idaho State Board of Education granted the first recipient educators employed in rural or underserved school districts the opportunity to have up to $12,000 of student loan debt repaid over a four-year professional working period. The goal is to encourage educators to accept jobs in less populated regions of the state and remain there for a moderate amount of time. Based on data classification following the 2020 decennial census, an urbanized area is defined as having 50,000+ residents, an urban cluster is an area ranging from 5,000-49,000 residents, and a rural location is one that is not included in an urban area.[2] According to the U.S. Census 2021 5-year American Community Survey estimates, 53% of Idaho’s 115 traditional school districts have regional populations of fewer than 5,000 residents within their designated boundaries. Nearly two-thirds of these rural traditional school districts are located within the southwestern, north-central and south-central regions of Idaho. Twenty-one of Idaho’s public school district boundaries cover more than 1,000 square-land-miles and 68% of statewide school districts had less than five enrolled students per square mile in 2022 (average 12.4, median 1.8).

3. Senate Bill 1069 established a paid Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program 

Effective July 2023, Senate Bill 1069 provides pathways for individuals completing an approved Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program in Idaho to be paid and eligible for certification. The State Board of Education is in progress of developing the Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program which will allow students to be paid while serving as classroom apprentices on track to earn a teaching degree and license. Since Tennessee received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor to offer the first Registered Teacher Apprenticeship program in Fall 2020, 26 states have established their own programs. Five more states have programs in development. Principal apprenticeship programs may not be far behind as North Dakota’s was the first one to be approved in July 2023.

Currently, the Idaho State Board of Education is planning to submit registration for the Teacher Apprenticeship program with the U.S. Department of Labor in early 2024.

4. 2023 saw the opening of Idaho’s first three youth mental health crisis centers

During the end of 2022, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections awarded grant funding to four recipients to open and operate behavioral health community crisis centers for Idaho youth ages 12-17. In 2022, 17% of Idaho youth ages 12-17 reported suffering from at least one major depressive episode (MDE) over the past year, compared to 15% for the U.S. average. For severe MDE, nearly 15% of Idaho youth reported episodes in the past year (2^nd only to Wyoming), compared to 10% nationally. Approximately two thirds of Idaho’s youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment[3].

The centers provide free mental health services for up to 24 hours to stabilize youth during a crisis, develop a plan of care and get linked with provider referrals. Idaho State University offers the state’s only school psychology program with a 3-year online program to become a nationally certified school psychologist. The state of mental health in today’s youth is important for the productivity and resiliency of tomorrow’s labor force.

Youth Crisis Center locations:

• Idaho Falls – Rise Up Teen and Child Crisis Center of East Idaho (Rehabilitative Health Services)
• Twin Falls – ProActive Youth and Family Support Center (Proactive Behavioral Health)
• Boise – Pathways Youth Community Support Center (Pathways of Idaho)
• Nampa (opening January 2024 – Southwest District Health)

For longer-term care for Idaho’s youth population in trauma, the Idaho Youth Ranch Residential Center for Healing and Resilience opened in Caldwell in August 2023.

5. Idaho Launch program for graduating high school seniors comes to life in 2023

With a tight labor market and the need for a qualified work force, the Idaho Legislature provided $75 million in funding to assist graduating high school seniors with financing workforce-oriented education and training. Idaho’s high school seniors graduating in 2024 are eligible for up to $8,000 to fund postsecondary education in pursuing a degree, professional certificate, apprenticeship, or other training beyond high school within Idaho for nearly 250 in-demand careers. With the average bachelor’s degree candidate taking out $30,000 in student loans nationally, financing postsecondary education can be a significant obstacle for many resident Idahoans. Idaho Launch funding may convince those who otherwise may not have considered postsecondary education to acquire additional employment skills and help fill Idaho’s workforce gaps for occupations such as engineers, electricians, nursing assistants, automotive service techs, computer systems analysts, drafters, water system operators, K-12 teachers, and many others.

According to the Idaho Board of Education, Idaho’s immediate go-on rates following high school graduation have declined from 49% in 2018 to 42% in 2022. With approximately 22,000 potential high school graduates each year, this drop in go-on rates is the potential equivalent of 1,500 fewer students per year choosing not to pursue postsecondary education at either the two-year or four-year level. It is important to note that go-on rates do not capture apprenticeships or technical on-the-job training and are not a measure of a student’s productivity or participation in the labor force. In general, higher educational attainment is correlated with both higher average annual income as well as lower average unemployment rates.

Implementing the Launch program was a partnership effort between the Governor’s Office, the Idaho Workforce Development Council, the State Board of Education and the Idaho Department of Labor. While the department has run an Idaho Launch program for adults seeking to re-train and change careers since 2021, this is the first time targeted funding for postsecondary education is available directly to Idaho’s high school graduates. Applications close April 15, 2024. Openings are available to Idaho residents that graduate from an Idaho high school/GED program and will be starting postsecondary school in Idaho by Fall 2024.

Application and program information is available at https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/launch

Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 799-5000, ext. 3849

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 [1] Cominole, M., Thomsen, E., Henderson, M., Velez, E.D., and Cooney, J. (2021). Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B:08/18): First Look at the 2018 Employment and Educational Experiences of 2007–08 College Graduates (NCES 2021-241). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved Oct 2023 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2021241.

[2] US Census Bureau, “2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Classifications”, December 2022.

[3] Mental Health America, Youth Data 2022. Youth data 2022 | Mental Health America (mhanational.org).

Four organizations chosen to operate youth crisis centers in Idaho | Idaho Department of Health and Welfare