Career & Technical Education, Labor Market Information

Labor Market Information, (LMI) is the title for a huge body of knowledge which is used to describe the exchange of work for pay. It uses statistics about the population and demographic characteristics, labor force participation, commuting patterns, employment and unemployment. It also uses information on wages paid, employment by industry, staffing patterns, number of job openings or even the number of want ads for available jobs. Discovering accurate labor market information is key to creating a realistic career and education plan. Students learn whether jobs exist in their occupations of interest, where these jobs are located, what is the pay, etc. Students who want to live in Wisconsin need to be familiar with the Wisconsin labor market. Students who have their hearts set on living somewhere else need to be familiar with that part of the country's labor market.

Internet links to use in the classroom (state and national):

• A Glossary of Common LMI Terms
• Wisconsin County Workforce Profiles - There are 72 counties in Wisconsin and nine Regional Labor Market Analysts who are experts on labor market issues and trends that affect the counties in their regions. In the fall of 1997, the analysts developed and published a seven-page profile for each county within their region. The profile includes narrative, tables, charts that respond to the most frequently requested information, and the name of the area"s Regional Labor Market Analyst.
• Wisconsin Projections, 2006-2016, Labor Force, Industries, Occupations - This publication is a rich source of information for anyone wanting to work in Wisconsin. Examples of tables available for viewing on this site include:
• Wisconsin's Top 30 Fastest Growing Industries, 2006-2016
• Employment by Major Occupational Category, Wisconsin 2006-2016
• Wisconsin's Top 30 Occupations with the Most Job Openings,2006-2016
• Wisconsin's Top 30 Fastest Growing Occupations with 500+ Employment, and Education and Training Typically Required, 2006-2016, and more.
• U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics is the national organization for data on jobs and employment in the U.S. There is a Regional Information site that is helpful for students checking the employment outlook for the same kind of job in different parts of the U.S.

For questions about this information, contact Sharon W. Wendt (608) 267-9251

Last updated on 8/20/2008 2:26:16 PM