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STATE WIDE–One hard truth some Hoosiers may have to face after the pandemic is that their jobs might not exist any more. Republic Airways announced job cuts this weekend, with the layoffs of around 300 people. The Indiana Pacers also announced furloughs. Gerry Dick with Inside Indiana Business, says some companies who are laying people off may learn to work without them.

“Businesses are always looking at ways to become more efficient, to do things better and do it for less money, to save money,” said Dick, talking to WIBC’s Tony Katz. “This pandemic, as awful as it is and has been, has given companies a bit of a test run.”

He said that test run may be used to look at work from home models and doing more with less.

“I think you’ll see more than a few companies change their look from a staffing standpoint, going forward.”

That new look could be what puts people out of a job. But, Dick said there are new opportunities to go along with the ones that disappear.

“It’s also been an opportunity, though, for individuals to get more training, new training, to upgrade their skills and to do things during the pandemic that can benefit them on the other side in terms of new opportunities,” he said.

Dick said there are also new opportunities for business, as the previous ones fade. He said the Indiana Economic Development Corporation has been working to make sure Indiana is able to offer incentives to new businesses that, after the pandemic, may be looking for a place to locate.

“Bringing that, lessening that dependence on some of the foreign manufacturing operations, bringing some of that back to the United States, and counting on Indiana as a place to make that happen.”

Dick said the state has been making a push to bring aerospace and aeronautics companies to the state, which bring with them high-paying jobs.