Fewer workers than jobs (see Career Kokua Occupations, Outlook section).

The number of pieces in a shipment are less that the piece count shown on the movement document.

Everybody knows what this word means, right?  It means that you have less of something than you need or would like to have.  But this layman's definition isn't good enough for SSI work.  The term “shortage” as used here applies to a specific occupation or set of skills. A specific occupation (say, Registered Nurses {SOC 29-111)) is in shortage in a particular area if employers in that area are unable to recruit and/or retain as many workers in that occupation as they would be willing to employ under current labor market and workplace conditions.   In other words, the word “shortage” refers to the excess of demand over supply, under conditions as they exist or are expected to exist – if nothing is done about it.

The number of pieces in a shipment are fewer than the piece-count shown on the movement document.

A situation that occurs when a shipment has fewer pieces than are called for on the freight bill.