Labor Shortage a Symptom, Not a Cause, of Pennsylvania Rural Exodus

Attracting businesses and encouraging entrepreneurs already in the area to grow the economy isn't the only issue holding back rural workforce growth. Other practical problems that pop up, from the pressures of family or a lack of infrastructure, can keep residents out of a job, state officials told the Senate Majority Policy Committee recently. “Bringing people into Pennsylvania and keeping them here, particularly in rural communities, is a challenge that we all need to address and think about,” said Nancy Walker, acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.