Workforce Information You Can Use!

The Workforce Information Council helps guide the development and improvement of the nationwide workforce and labor market information system. This system provides information on labor market trends and conditions, job outlook and wages, skill requirements of jobs, and a wide variety of other information that helps customers make decisions about their businesses, careers, training, and job search.

At this web site you can find information about the Council and its activities, about the workforce information system and about how to access workforce and labor market information for your local area, state, or the nation.

Information about the workforce, labor market, and careers in your local area, state, and the nation can be located by going to the workforce information portal.

**Special Announcement** See the Workgroups section on the Green Jobs Study Group to see their final report titled, "Measurement and Analysis of Employment in the Green Economy," October 2009." Click here for accessing their final report.

Update from the Workforce Information Council (WIC) October 2009 -

Workforce Information Council Meets in July at San Diego
Economic Stimulus Funding and LMI Activities
WIC Workgroup on Green Jobs Initiative
WIC to Display at Economic Development Conference
WIC Purpose, Mission, and Priorities for 2009 & 2010
WIC State Reps New LMI Director Orientation with NASWA
Workforce Information Portal

Workforce Information Council Meets on July 15-16 in San Diego

Steve Saxton of California welcomed the Workforce Information Council (WIC) to San Diego on July 15-16. Federal Co-Chair Jack Galvin welcomed the Workforce Information Council members, noting that this is Donald Lillywhite’s first official meeting as the Region 3 member from Virginia.

The March 2009 meeting notes were approved. An overview of the WIC budget was provided, noting that the largest items involved the planned budgets needed for the WIC Study Groups - Green Jobs, WIC Planning Forum, and LMI System Technology Review projects. A total of $55,000 is planned to be used out of the current budget to accomplish these activities before the end of the fiscal year.

The WIC discussed the tentative dates for next year’s meetings during 2010 and will add the following dates on the draft meeting calendar for 2010 - March 23-25 in the Washington, DC area; July 20-22 in the Pacific Northwest depending on the region 10 WIC State Rep; and November 8-10 in Florida.

The next meeting of the Workforce Information Council will be on October 28-29, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Economic Stimulus Funding and LMI Activities

Several state members commented on what they have done regarding their respective state’s involvement in the support for American Recovery & Reemployment Act (ARRA) funded activities. Rebecca Rust reported that Florida had funded several new positions with the stimulus monies of about $1.4M. She is looking at a variety of possible tools and reports, such as TORQ, Help Wanted On Line/HWOL, job vacancy studies, and biotech research. Reports from New York and California also noted some additional funding, while the other states, who did not receive extra funds, reported they are involved in some aspects of planning/data analysis.

WIC Workgroup on Green Jobs Initiative

Dixie Sommers (Bureau of Labor Statistics) and Bonnie Graybill (California), Co-Chairs of the Green Jobs Study Group reported on the progress to date of the study group. They noted that there would be a work session following the WIC meeting on Thursday and Friday, with states (CA, CT, MI, MN, NY, OR, & WA) all sharing some of their experiences with conducting green jobs surveys. JBS International has been contracted to facilitate and write a report of the session. A summary of the work session will be produced and shared with all states on the WIC web site (see WIC web site Workgroups section and the documents listed under the Green Jobs Study Workgroup section), a note to the LMI directors, and on the CA green jobs digest web site.

Dixie next reported on the status and plans for the BLS 2010 Measuring Green Jobs Initiative, should Congress approve the President’s FY2010 appropriations request. Dixie distributed and reviewed the attached draft paper titled “BLS & Measuring Green Jobs Discussion Draft for the WIC July 15, 2009.” This document is also posted on the WIC web site under the Green Jobs Study Group Workgroup.

WIC to Display at Economic Development Conference

Workforce Information Council to exhibit at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) 2009 Annual Conference scheduled for October 4-7 in Reno, Nevada. The theme of there meeting is "Renewable Communities: Leveraging Your Competitive Resources." Over 2,000 economic development professionals from across the U.S. and around the world are expected to attend.

Steve reported on the progress to date of the LMI System Technology Review, which heard from Radha Consulting on their work in the past 3 weeks. A survey of existing states has been done to identify LMI delivery systems being used and new technologies being employed by the states. A sample of users will be queried as well. A final report will be available at the next WIC meeting in October.

WIC Purpose, Mission, Priorities, and Projects for 2009 & 2010

The WIC is in the process of reviewing and updating its WIC Purpose, Mission, and Priorities document. There was consensus on the overall Purpose and Mission (see below).

WIC PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to clearly state the mission and priorities of the Workforce Information Council, primarily as a way to help the WIC focus on shared priorities in the current one- or two-year period. The priorities listed in this document reflect input from WIC members and State LMI Directors (from their May 18, 2009 Planning Forum).

WIC MISSION
The mission of the Workforce Information Council is to provide oversight and guidance to the nation’s workforce information system and to improve the quality, quantity, relevance, and availability of workforce information. The WIC mission is consistent with requirements in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Section 309. WIC accomplishes its mission by:

• Providing direction for the improvement of the BLS cooperative statistical programs and system;
  

• Providing direction for the improvement of other components of the nation’s workforce information system, i.e. those beyond the direct purview of the BLS.

• Identifying and attempting to fill gaps (both data and dissemination) in the workforce information system by chartering teams to develop technical assistance, by proposing Department of Labor (DOL) budget initiatives, and by other strategies;
  

• Communicating with and educating stakeholders on the products, services, and value-added of the workforce information system;
  

In selecting opportunities for improving the quality, quantity, relevance, and availability of workforce information, WIC strives for State-DOL consensus.

Detailed discussions are being held on the specific Priorities and the four section’s contents. A revised version of the WIC Mission and Priorities document will be generated and each group (States and the federal members) will review for further refinement at the October 2009 WIC meeting.

WIC State Reps New LMI Director Orientation with NASWA

The WIC State Representatives are conducting an orientation for new LMI directors just prior to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies’ (NASWA) 2009 Annual LMI Directors Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia (scheduled for November 3-5). The agenda will be similar to the orientation held last year in Indianapolis. There have been about ten new LMI directors appointed/selected in the past year. The half day session will be held on Monday afternoon November 2 at the same hotel as the NASWA meeting. NASWA staff, the LMI Committee, and Georgia Department of Labor representatives have been working with the WIC State Reps on the logistics for the training.