Episode 4:
M0bility
in Kauaʻi county
Kauaʻi’s workforce system is defined by high access and emerging demand—but limited scale and inconsistent wage sustainability.
Kaua’i has 37,000 STARs workers. What are their career options for upward mobility and wages that allow them to stay on Kaua’i?
While Hawai’i Island has a range of industries, four stand out as key mobility pathways:
Learn more about these pathways and others below.
What the Data Suggests
1. Healthcare demand is the primary driver of high-quality jobs. Most high-wage, STARs-accessible roles are concentrated in clinical and technical healthcare occupations.
2. Staffing firms are intermediaries, not endpoints. Many postings reflect how employers are filling demand—not where long-term careers ultimately reside.
3. Opportunity is concentrated in one dominant system. Healthcare plays an outsized role in shaping workforce mobility in Hawaiʻi County due to its combination of scale, wages, and demand.1
Administration and Support:
Healthcare is actually the Anchor
When we filter to industries where STARs roles meet the living wage threshold, Administration & Support stands out immediately in Hawaiʻi County—but requires careful interpretation.
76% of roles are STARs-accessible (very high)
Median STAR wage: ~$102,000 (well above living wage)
Strong growth across both segments: +67% overall, +78% STARs
+11 percentage point growth differential
At first glance, this appears to be a highly aligned sector—combining access, strong wages, and sustained growth. However, the underlying job postings show that this signal is driven primarily by healthcare roles—particularly nursing and allied health positions—posted through staffing and intermediary firms. Rather than reflecting a standalone administrative sector, this category is capturing concentrated demand within the healthcare system. This suggests that what appears as sector growth is, in part, a shift in how healthcare demand is being met—through contract, temporary, and intermediary hiring models.
In Hawaiʻi County, healthcare demand functions as a system-level anchor—representing one of the most significant opportunities for accessible, high-wage mobility pathways, even when that demand is surfaced indirectly through staffing channels. What this looks like in practice:
Common roles (by posting volume)
Registered Nurses — 3,560
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians — 695
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers — 387
Respiratory Therapists — 328
MRI Technologists — 260
Top hiring employers
AMN Healthcare — 382
Soliant Health — 368
MedPro Healthcare Staffing — 264
Vetted Health — 258
Titan Medical — 251
Hawaiʻi Island has multiple aligned opportunity sectors:
construction; healthcare & social assistance; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
These sectors show alignment between access, economic sustainability, and momentum, with the possibility of becoming strong workforce pathways to mobility.
Construction
In Hawaiʻi County, Construction represents an aligned and expanding mobility pathway—where access, wages, and demand are converging to create scalable, degree-optional career opportunities.
59% STARs access
STAR wage: ~$67,000 (above living wage)
STARs roles growing (+36%) while overall jobs decline (-13%)
+49 percentage point growth differential
Demand is increasing specifically within STARs-accessible roles, even as overall sector employment declines. This indicates a shift in the composition of work—where opportunity is becoming more concentrated in roles that do not require a four-year degree.
Many of these positions fall within the skilled trades, including electrical, plumbing, and construction management pathways. These roles typically offer structured entry points through certification, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Electricians — 16
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — 14
Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — 12
Construction Managers — 11
Administrative Assistants — 10
Top hiring employers
Sunrun — 32
Bolton & Company — 18
Goodfellow Bros. — 9
Moke’s Electric — 9
Queen Construction — 8
What the Data Suggests
1. This is one of the most complete mobility pathways in the county. Workers can enter, advance, and sustain living-wage careers within a single system.
2. Demand is strong—but partially routed through staffing intermediaries. Temporary and contract hiring models reflect unmet need in the permanent workforce.
3. The opportunity is not just expansion—but stabilization. Strengthening local training and hiring pipelines could reduce reliance on external staffing and improve long-term workforce retention.
What the Data Suggests
1. Growth is concentrated in skilled trades. Demand is strongest in roles tied to infrastructure, construction, and technical building systems.
2. Opportunity is expanding within accessible roles. Growth in STARs positions indicates increasing availability of degree-optional mobility pathways.
3. Access is improving—but not yet universal. While alignment is strong, entry into these roles still depends on training, certification, and exposure to the trades.
Healthcare & Social Assistance
In Hawaiʻi County, Healthcare & Social Assistance represents a fully aligned but structurally strained mobility pathway—where strong wages and demand exist, but parts of the system rely on intermediary staffing rather than stable, long-term workforce pipelines.
54% STARs access
STAR wage: ~$93,000
Strong growth: +45% overall, +72% STARs
+27 percentage point growth differential
This is a large, scalable sector where demand, wages, and access are increasingly aligned. Growth is strong across both the overall workforce and STARs-accessible roles, indicating that opportunity is expanding within positions that do not require a four-year degree. The sector includes a wide range of roles—from entry-level administrative and support positions to highly skilled clinical occupations—creating multiple entry points and opportunities for advancement.
At the same time, a portion of this demand is being mediated through staffing and intermediary firms. This suggests that some workforce needs—particularly in clinical roles—are being filled through temporary, contract, or travel-based staffing models rather than direct, long-term employment.
This dynamic does not reduce underlying demand. Instead, it reflects how employers are responding to workforce shortages—and may indicate an opportunity to strengthen more stable, locally rooted mobility pathways.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Registered Nurses — 740
Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurses — 113
Health Technologists and Technicians — 103
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians — 57
Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants — 56
Top hiring employers
Hilo Medical Center — 197
Prime Time Healthcare — 149
MAS Medical — 90
Ingenovis Health — 84
Sonic Healthcare USA — 80
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (fragmented signal, not a defined mobility pathway)
In Hawaiʻi County, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services represents a classification artifact rather than a true mobility pathway—where strong headline metrics do not translate into a clear, scalable route for workforce mobility.
66% STARs access (unusually high for this sector)
STAR wage: ~$62,000 (meets living wage)
Declining overall (-31%), but STARs declining less (-9%)
+22 differential (but not true growth)
These statistics reflect relative resilience in STARs roles—but not sustained growth. At first glance, this sector appears strong—combining high access with wages at or above the living wage threshold.
However, a closer look at the underlying data reveals a highly fragmented mix of roles and employers spanning multiple industries. The occupations captured in this category—including healthcare, logistics, retail, administrative, and technical roles—do not form a coherent or connected mobility pathway.
The positive differential reflects that STARs roles are declining more slowly than the sector overall—but this is not the same as expansion. Instead, it indicates relative resilience within a shrinking and highly mixed category.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Registered Nurses — 24
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers — 50
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers — 32
Tax Preparers — 31
Light Truck Drivers — 26
Top hiring employers
Trusted Health — 124
Terraboost Media — 68
Internal Data Resources — 41
Kiwi Healthcare Consulting — 32
H&R Block — 27
What the Data Suggests
1. Industry labels can obscure more than they reveal. This category blends multiple unrelated labor markets, limiting its usefulness for mobility pathway design.
2. Relative performance is not the same as growth. STARs roles appear stronger only because they are declining more slowly than the overall sector.
3. Mobility pathways require coherence, not just access. Without a clear progression structure, even well-paying, accessible roles do not form a scalable mobility pathway.
Emerging “within-sector mobility” signals
These sectors show potential for advancement within the sector, rather than requiring workers to cross into a different sector to see gains.
Accommodation & Food services
(hospitality Mobility pathway through advancement)
In Hawaiʻi County, hospitality demonstrates a within-sector mobility pathway—where workers can progress from entry-level roles into living-wage positions without needing to leave the industry.
28% STARs access (low entry share)
STAR wage: ~$62,000 (crosses living wage threshold)
STARs growing (+13%) while overall jobs decline (-13%)
+26 growth differential
Within a large, traditionally lower-wage sector, a subset of roles is reaching living-wage levels—and those roles are growing even as overall employment declines.
These positions are not entry-level. Instead, they include supervisory, customer-facing, and operational roles that typically require prior experience within the sector. While entry into hospitality may not provide a living wage, advancement within the sector can lead to more stable, higher-paying positions. The positive growth differential suggests that demand is becoming more concentrated in these higher-level roles over time.
Common roles (by posting volume)
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers — 67
Driver/Sales Workers — 51
Concierges — 48
Customer Service Representatives — 48
Maintenance and Repair Workers — 48
Top hiring employers
Hilton — 152
Four Seasons — 84
Marriott International — 83
GQR — 83
Domino’s Pizza — 64
What the Data Suggests
1. Mobility depends on progression, not entry. Entry-level roles are widely available, but living-wage outcomes are concentrated in supervisory and operational positions.
2. Demand is shifting toward higher-level roles. Growth in STARs-accessible positions suggests increasing need for experienced workers within the sector.
3. Mobility pathways exist—but require structure. Clear advancement pathways, training, and retention strategies are critical to helping workers move from entry-level roles into higher-wage positions.
Education (small, but Emerging)
In Hawaiʻi County, Education represents a nascent but emerging mobility pathway—where small pockets of accessible, living-wage roles are beginning to form, but require intentional expansion to become a meaningful workforce opportunity.
Very low access (~8%)
STAR wages exceed living wage (~$61K)
Strong STAR growth (+63%) vs declining overall (-10%)
This is a small sector in terms of overall volume, but it shows early signs of emerging opportunity within specific roles. While access remains limited, the positions that are available to STARs workers tend to meet or exceed the living wage threshold. At the same time, growth within these roles is outpacing the broader sector, even as overall employment declines.
This suggests the emergence of more specialized, support-oriented, or non-traditional roles that can provide stable, living-wage employment—though not yet at a scale that would significantly impact the broader workforce.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Substitute Teachers (Short-Term) — 7
Computer User Support Specialists — 4
Administrative Assistants — 4
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors — 3
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists — 3
Top hiring employers
University of Hawaiʻi System — 28
Hawaiʻi Academy of Arts & Science — 6
ʻAha Pūnana Leo — 5
Colorado State University — 4
West Hawaiʻi Explorations Academy — 3
What the Data Suggests
1. Access is the primary constraint. Very few roles are currently available to workers without a four-year degree.
2. Where access exists, wages are strong. STARs-accessible roles tend to meet or exceed the living wage threshold.
3. Growth signals early mobility pathway formation. Expansion within these roles suggests potential for future pathway development, if scaled intentionally.
Emerging “within-sector mobility” signals:
Accommodation & Food services, Education
These sectors show potential for advancement within the sector, rather than requiring workers to cross into a different sector to see gains.
Accommodation & Food services
(hospitality mobility pathway through advancement)
In Hawaiʻi County, hospitality demonstrates a within-sector mobility pathway—where workers can progress from entry-level roles into living-wage positions without needing to leave the industry.
28% STARs access (low entry share)
STAR wage: ~$62,000 (crosses living wage threshold)
STARs growing (+13%) while overall jobs decline (-13%)
+26 growth differential
Within a large, traditionally lower-wage sector, a subset of roles is reaching living-wage levels—and those roles are growing even as overall employment declines.
These positions are not entry-level. Instead, they include supervisory, customer-facing, and operational roles that typically require prior experience within the sector. While entry into hospitality may not provide a living wage, advancement within the sector can lead to more stable, higher-paying positions. The positive growth differential suggests that demand is becoming more concentrated in these higher-level roles over time.
Common roles (by posting volume)
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers — 67
Driver/Sales Workers — 51
Concierges — 48
Customer Service Representatives — 48
Maintenance and Repair Workers — 48
Top hiring employers
Hilton — 152
Four Seasons — 84
Marriott International — 83
GQR — 83
Domino’s Pizza — 64
What the Data Suggests
1. Mobility depends on progression, not entry. Entry-level roles are widely available, but living-wage outcomes are concentrated in supervisory and operational positions.
2. Demand is shifting toward higher-level roles. Growth in STARs-accessible positions suggests increasing need for experienced workers within the sector.
3. Mobility pathways exist—but require structure. Clear advancement pathways, training, and retention strategies are critical to helping workers move from entry-level roles into higher-wage positions.
Education (small, but Emerging)
In Hawaiʻi County, Education represents a nascent but emerging mobility pathway—where small pockets of accessible, living-wage roles are beginning to form, but require intentional expansion to become a meaningful workforce opportunity.
Very low access (~8%)
STAR wages exceed living wage (~$61K)
Strong STAR growth (+63%) vs declining overall (-10%)
This is a small sector in terms of overall volume, but it shows early signs of emerging opportunity within specific roles. While access remains limited, the positions that are available to STARs workers tend to meet or exceed the living wage threshold. At the same time, growth within these roles is outpacing the broader sector, even as overall employment declines.
This suggests the emergence of more specialized, support-oriented, or non-traditional roles that can provide stable, living-wage employment—though not yet at a scale that would significantly impact the broader workforce.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Substitute Teachers (Short-Term) — 7
Computer User Support Specialists — 4
Administrative Assistants — 4
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors — 3
Librarians and Media Collections Specialists — 3
Top hiring employers
University of Hawaiʻi System — 28
Hawaiʻi Academy of Arts & Science — 6
ʻAha Pūnana Leo — 5
Colorado State University — 4
West Hawaiʻi Explorations Academy — 3
What the Data Suggests
1. Access is the primary constraint. Very few roles are currently available to workers without a four-year degree.
2. Where access exists, wages are strong. STARs-accessible roles tend to meet or exceed the living wage threshold.
3. Growth signals early mobility pathway formation. Expansion within these roles suggests potential for future pathway development, if scaled intentionally.
Entry sectors still below sustainability:
Information & Technology, Management, Manufacturing
information & Technology
(emerging, not yet fully aligned)
In Hawaiʻi County, Information & Technology represents a near-aligned “watch” mobility pathway—where continued growth and targeted investment in skills and wage progression could unlock a scalable, living-wage mobility pathway.
48% STARs access
STAR wage: ~$57,600 (just below living wage)
Very strong growth (+114% STARs vs +93% overall)
This is an emerging sector where access, wages, and demand are beginning to align—but have not yet fully converged. Growth is strong across both STARs-accessible and overall roles, indicating expanding demand. Wages are approaching the living wage threshold, suggesting that the sector is close to becoming economically viable for a broader share of workers.
However, many of the roles currently driving demand—particularly in sales, customer-facing, and operational functions—remain just below the level required for long-term stability. In addition, the mix of occupations suggests that much of the current activity is in tech-adjacent roles rather than core technical positions.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Sales Representatives (Technical & Scientific) — 20
Maintenance and Repair Workers — 12
First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers — 10
Advertising Sales Agents — 9
Sales Representatives (Non-Technical) — 9
Top hiring employers
Travel & Leisure Group Ltd — 49
Spectrum — 20
Altafiber — 12
Khan Academy — 7
AT&T — 5
What the Data Suggests
1. Growth is strong, but concentrated in tech-adjacent roles. Many current opportunities are in sales, operations, and support functions rather than core technical occupations.
2. Wages are close—but not consistently sufficient. Earnings are approaching the living wage threshold but remain just below it for many roles.
3. This is a near-term opportunity for mobility pathway design. Targeted investments in skill-building, credentialing, and wage progression could shift this sector into full alignment.
Management
(cross-cutting roles, not a standalone mobility pathway)
In Hawaiʻi County, Management and related roles represent cross-cutting but incomplete mobility pathways—where access exists, but long-term mobility depends on the underlying sector in which these roles are embedded.
Moderate STARs access
Mixed wages (not consistently above living wage)
Small scale and inconsistent growth
This category captures a wide range of roles that cut across multiple industries, rather than forming a distinct or cohesive sector. The positions represented—spanning customer service, logistics, technical support, and supervisory functions—are embedded within other industries rather than operating as a standalone mobility pathway. As a result, demand appears scattered, reflecting needs across different parts of the economy rather than a concentrated area of growth.
While individual roles may offer advancement opportunities, they do not connect into a clear or scalable mobility pathway on their own.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Customer Service Representatives — 15
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers — 5
Industrial Production Managers — 2
Network and Computer Systems Administrators — 2
Securities & Financial Services Sales Agents — 2
Top hiring employers
Par Pacific — 19
First Hawaiian Bank — 5
Sunoco — 4
Zealandia Holding Company — 4
Consolidated Asset Management Services — 4
What the Data Suggests
1. These roles depend on sector context. Management and supervisory positions are embedded within other industries and do not form a standalone mobility pathway.
2. Access exists, but progression is uneven. Some roles offer advancement, but mobility pathways are not consistently structured or scalable.
3. Mobility requires connection to a broader system. Career growth in these roles is tied to the strength and structure of the industries they support.
Manufacturing
(accessible but lower-wage mobility pathway)
In Hawaiʻi County, Manufacturing represents an accessible but lower-wage mobility pathway—where entry into the workforce is available, but stronger and more visible advancement structures are needed to support long-term economic mobility.
Moderate-to-high STARs access
Wages below or near living wage threshold
Mixed growth, with demand concentrated in operational roles
This sector provides consistent access to employment, particularly in logistics, distribution, maintenance, and sales-related functions. However, many of the roles driving demand—such as drivers, merchandisers, and customer-facing positions—do not consistently meet the living wage threshold. While some technical and supervisory roles offer advancement potential, these opportunities are less visible at scale and not consistently structured into clear mobility pathways.
The composition of roles suggests that this sector is less about large-scale manufacturing production and more about distribution, supply chain activity, and service-linked operations within the local economy.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers — 61
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers — 38
Sales Representatives (Services) — 22
Registered Nurses — 20
Driver/Sales Workers — 19
Top hiring employers
The Coca-Cola Company — 48
Odom Corporation — 33
CrossMed — 21
Bridgestone Corporation — 20
PepsiCo — 15
What the Data Suggests
1. Demand is concentrated in distribution and operations. Many roles focus on logistics, product movement, and sales rather than production-intensive manufacturing.
2. Access is strong, but wages limit mobility. Roles are broadly accessible but often fall below the level needed for long-term economic stability.
3. Mobility pathways are incomplete rather than absent. Advancement opportunities exist, but are not consistently structured or visible at scale.
Structural gaps:
Public Aministration
In Hawaiʻi County, Public Administration represents a structural gap—where job growth does not automatically create opportunity unless access to higher-wage roles is intentionally expanded.
21% STARs access (low)
STAR wage: ~$52K (below living wage)
STARs declining (-27%) while overall jobs grow (+28%)
-55 differential
This is a sector where overall demand is increasing—but not in roles that are accessible to workers without a four-year degree. The positions that remain accessible—such as clerks, administrative assistants, and support roles—tend to fall below the living wage threshold. At the same time, growth is concentrated in more specialized or credentialed roles, limiting access to higher-quality opportunities.
As a result, while public sector employment is expanding, that growth is not translating into broader economic mobility for STARs workers.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — 26
Court, Municipal, and License Clerks — 23
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers — 11
Administrative Assistants — 11
Bailiffs — 8
Top hiring employers
State of Hawaiʻi — 84
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education — 39
Hawaiʻi State Judiciary — 36
U.S. Department of Homeland Security — 17
U.S. Department of Transportation — 5
What the Data Suggests
1. Growth is concentrated in higher-barrier roles. Expansion is occurring in positions that require credentials, limiting access for STARs workers.
2. Accessible roles are lower-wage and not expanding. Entry-level positions remain below the living wage threshold and are not driving growth.
3. Policy alignment is a key lever. As a public sector, changes to hiring, credentialing, and mobility pathways could directly expand access to higher-quality jobs.
Filtering out noise:
Utilities
In Hawaiʻi County, Utilities represents a high-quality but low-scale sector—where strong individual roles exist, but the total number of opportunities is too limited to significantly shape overall workforce outcomes.
High access (~73%)
Strong wages
But very small scale (~90 postings)
Negative STAR growth differential
This sector shows strong indicators on both access and wages, with many roles that are degree-optional and well-compensated. However, the overall number of opportunities is very limited, and growth within STARs-accessible roles is not keeping pace with the broader sector. Because the total volume of jobs is small, even strong wages and access do not translate into meaningful impact at the system level.
As a result, this sector reflects high-quality individual opportunities—but not a scalable mobility pathway.
Common roles (by posting volume)
Electricians — 10
General and Operations Managers — 5
Meter Readers — 5
Electrical & Electronics Repairers (Power Systems) — 4
Power-Line Installers and Repairers — 4
Top hiring employers
Hawaiian Electric Company — 54
Renewable Energy Services — 2
NRG Energy — 2
Constellation Energy — 2
California Water Service Group — 2
What the Data Suggests
1. Roles are high-quality and infrastructure-oriented. Many positions are tied to energy, utilities, and essential systems work.
2. Scale is the defining constraint. The small number of postings limits the sector’s ability to impact workforce outcomes at scale.
3. Strong indicators do not equal system-level relevance. High wages and access alone are not sufficient without enough volume to matter broadly.
Hawaii County:
implications and strategies
Hawaiʻi County contains multiple emerging mobility pathways—but they vary in scale, structure, and accessibility, and are not yet coordinated into a cohesive system.
When viewed as a whole, Hawaiʻi County’s workforce landscape looks fundamentally different from Honolulu. Rather than relying on a small number of high-opportunity sectors, Hawaiʻi County shows multiple distinct types of mobility pathways emerging at the same time:
Fully aligned pathways (e.g., Healthcare, Construction)
Within-sector mobility pathways (e.g., Hospitality)
Near-aligned or emerging pathways (e.g., Information & Technology)
Gated growth sectors (e.g., Finance)
Structural gaps and incomplete pathways (e.g., Public Administration, Management)
This diversity matters. It suggests that opportunity is not concentrated in a single part of the economy—but distributed across multiple sectors, each with different strengths and constraints.
A Workforce Strategy for Hawaiʻi Island
The core components of a functioning workforce system already exist—but operate in parallel rather than in coordination. Rather than primarily creating new mobility pathways, Hawaiʻi Island’s opportunity is to:
Scale existing aligned sectors (e.g., Healthcare, Construction)
Strengthen within-sector advancement (e.g., Hospitality)
Close access gaps in high-growth sectors (e.g., Finance, Government)
Support emerging sectors before they stall (e.g., Information & Technology)
Reduce fragmentation across smaller or incomplete pathways
In Hawaiʻi County, the challenge is not generating opportunity—it is stabilizing, connecting, and scaling the mobility pathways that already exist.