- Introduction
Building a world class workforce is not the domain of any one entity in New York State but rather a collective effort guided by the advice and knowledge of our State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB). Workforce or labor market information is one requirement of such a system. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the USDOL administers the Workforce Information Grant. ETA requires that the state Labor Market Information shop, the Division of Research and Statistics (R&S) of the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), consult with the SWIB in devising and enacting its workforce information plan.
New York State statute stipulates that New York’s SWIB is staffed by personnel from the New York State Department of Labor and other state agencies, as appropriate. Personnel from R&S are a part of the staff of the NYSDOL that serve as staff for the SWIB. They assist in guiding the SWIB and its various subcommittees through the initiatives and policies which will enhance both the availability of information and the usefulness of that workforce information/ labor market information (LMI) at the state and local level.
To receive its grant for Program Year 2006 (PY 2006), R&S and the SWIB must certify to ETA that they will meet six deliverables. They are:
- Continue to populate the Workforce Information (formerly ALMIS) Database with state and local data.
- Produce and disseminate industry and occupational employment projections.
- Publish an annual economic analysis report for the governor and the SWIB.
- Post products, information, and reports on the Internet.
- Partner and consult on a continuing basis with workforce investment boards.
- Conduct special studies and economic analyses.
To assist the SWIB in certifying that R&S will satisfy the requirements, we offer this plan explaining how R&S will satisfy the deliverables.
- Core Products and Services
State Workforce Agency Deliverables
- Continue to populate the Workforce Information (formerly ALMIS) Database with state and local data.
- Description of core product, service: The database is required of all states and has been in use for years. It is a standardized, electronic repository for labor market data with a proscribed format.
- R&S will:
- Use the latest version of ALMIS database. The current version is 2.3, which will be updated as changes are issued.
- Continue updating core datasets as more recent data becomes available. These include resident employment, unemployment, and unemployment rates; nonfarm jobs by industry estimates; occupational wages and employment; occupational staffing patterns; occupations licensed and certified; occupational projections; jobs in demand; affirmative action planning data; wages by occupation; industry payrolls; and prevailing wages for UI purposes.
- Take advantage of information and training provided by the Database Maintenance Consortium.
- Add the following datasets: Short-term occupational projections; an updated union directory; Current Employment Statistics (CES) program hours and earnings data by industry and area; Census commutation data; and post-secondary degrees conferred.
- Produce and disseminate industry and occupational employment projections.
- Description of core product, service or activity. Produce and disseminate state and sub-state occupational projections. The primary effort for PY 2006 will be sub-state long-term projections and statewide short-term projections. Sub-state long-term projections will be prepared for the period 2004-2014. Statewide short-term projections will be prepared for 2006-2008. These will be placed in the Workforce Information Database.
- R&S will:
- Continue to serve on the Projections Consortium, Micro-Matrix, and Long-Term Industry Projections users groups.
- Prepare long-term projections (2004-2014) for our 10 labor market regions by December 2006. These projections will then be incorporated into the Workforce Information Database, and be made available to One Stop partners and the general public via the NYSDOL web site. Long-term regional occupational projections will be developed using Long-Term Industry Projections Consortium software and industry forecasts from the Governor’s Budget Office.
- Develop short-term occupational projections for NYS and its 10 regions using the Short-Term Industry Projections Software of the state Projections Work Group’s Projection Suite.
- Investigate the possibility of doing local workforce area or county occupational projections. (A suggestion of the LMI Advisory Committee)
- Planned milestones.
Long-Term Projections milestones:
December 2006 – Complete regional long-term projections.
Short-Term Projections milestones:
October 2006 – Obtain NYS Division of Budget (DOB) 3-digit statewide industry forecast. Review, adjust and format.
November & December 2006 – Develop statewide short-term occupational forecasts.
January 2007 - Review and edit statewide short-term industry forecasts.
January 2007 – Develop regional industry forecasts based on DOB statewide forecasts.
February & March 2007 – Develop short-term occupational forecasts.
April & May 2007 - Review and edit short-term industry forecasts.
June 30, 2007 – Complete short-term occupational projections. Submit deliverable.
State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB)/State Workforce Agency (SWA) Deliverables
- Publish an annual economic analysis report for the governor and the SWIB
- Description of core product, service. Publish an annual state economic analysis report to inform workforce development policy and investment determinations by the governor, the SWIB, LWIBs, and other partners. The report should include analysis of regional economies.
- R&S will:
- Prepare the report by June 2007 using 2006 annual average data. An emphasis will be placed on occupational information, especially demand occupations -- not simply economic data. This concept was agreed upon by the LMI Advisory Committee.
- Include regional data in the report.
- Refer readers and planners to their local labor market analysts for more detailed analysis and to local LMI websites for more data.
- Post the report on NYSDOL website.
- Post products, information, and reports on the Internet.
- Description of core product, service: States are required to post products and reports, including deliverables 3 and 6, on the web or disseminate the information through other electronic media.
- R&S will:
- Maintain regional LMI web sites that allow employers to search the New York One Stop Operating System (NYOSOS) database of job-ready workers by geographic area, job title, experience, desired wage and/or education.
- Maintain regional web sites to allow job seekers or those in need of training to search the NYOSOS job bank, which is updated daily.
- Support the SWIBs role in developing and implementing a National Work Readiness Credential.
- Look into adding links to border states’ LMI pages, a suggestion of the LMI Advisory Committee.
- Analyze keyword searches conducted on NYSDOL’s website to document what LMI customers want. It will allow us to return the information most likely desired by the customer when they type terms into the search engine. Based on continuous review of what customers search for, we will adapt the delivery and presentation of LMI.
- Continue to upgrade software and hardware necessary to enhance the availability of information in the Workforce Information Database, including maintenance and backup service.
- Use log analysis to track the volume of customers interrogating the website, the specific pages being viewed, and the IP address of users. This information will be valuable in assessing customer satisfaction and improving the web application.
- Design and maintain standard LMI and job seeking tools on the Department’s web site under the “Find a Job” and “Career Information” buttons. These are designed not only for jobseekers, but also for the Wagner Peyser/Employment Service/One Stop staff.
- Provide an internet-based tool to facilitate the creation and modification of demand occupation lists by LWIBs. Local WIBs can add and delete occupations with the click of the mouse; updated lists are instantaneously viewable on the web.
- Continue to move more of our LMI and workforce-related program publications to the web and institute more e-mail alerts in place of mailing hard copy reports. Customers will be served more quickly and in a less costly manner.
- In cooperation with the Career Resource Network Office, work to provide occupational and career information products and resources that assist jobseekers and youth in identifying and building career management skills.
- Continue to support the CareerZone system (www.nycareerzone.org) designed to provide easy access to career and labor market information such as skills, abilities, education and training requirements for over 900 occupations. In addition, CareerZone provides access to over 350 career videos, current job openings and college databases.
- Focus on the expansion of JobZone, our adult career management portfolio, in the coming year. The JobZone team will incorporate additional decision-making modules that can assist customers in building career management skills for a lifetime. We plan to (depending on staff availability) implement additional administrative access to customers' portfolios that will allow employment counselors and professional staff to respond to jobseeker questions online in real time. E-mail capability or other feedback mechanisms will be implemented, allowing staff to monitor and assist customers using the jobseeker portfolio as a NYSDOL mediated job search and career management program.
- Devise a tool to disseminate information on the updated National Career Development Guidelines. These guidelines provide competencies that assist in the development and measurement of career development/management programs provided across the workforce development system. Staff will conduct presentations and workshops and share this with career and labor market professionals.
- Partner and consult on a continuing basis with workforce investment boards.
- Description of core product, or service: R&S will continue to consult with the state and local WIBs, as well as with the Workforce Development and Training Division concerning their needs for LMI.
- R&S will:
- Use out-stationed Labor Market Analysts to maintain regular contact with local workforce investment boards and their staff, offering assistance in interpreting local labor market trends, helping with applications for grant monies and training local staff in the use of labor market information and LMI tools. Analysts will continue to advise local staff on conducting workforce-related surveys and the creation and maintenance of local workforce development web sites.
- Continue to have R&S field analysts and central office staff attend state and local workforce investment board meetings to address question and issues pertaining to the labor market and economy.
- Continue to have out-stationed Labor Market Analysts inform local board and partner staff concerning LMI availability and use, especially as it relates to applying for grants made available through the SWIB, serving customers of the One Stops, and program planning.
- Continue to deliver Working Ahead, a Career Development Facilitator (CDF) program. The Working Ahead program is a nationally recognized certificate program to train workforce development professionals in labor market information, technology, assessment and helping skills just to name a few. This training has proven effective for One-Stop, Welfare-to-Work and youth program staff. Using the Working Ahead framework, R&S staff will organize instructor training classes to build a cadre of trainers who will help deliver this program at the local level. We will collaborate with Office of Children and Family Services to offer an online version of Working Ahead.
- Support the Real Game Series for youth and adults. The Real Game Series continues to be offered at selected One Stop Centers. In addition, public libraries and community-based organizations will continue to be able to take advantage of Real Game training. All Office of Children and Family Services juvenile detention facilities are using the Real Game Series. The adult version of the series provides customers with the opportunity to safely explore adult work realities through role-play activities. These activities provide opportunities to for skill building in occupational research, career decision-making and resume preparation.
- Develop market penetration rates annually for both businesses and individual customers at the request of the SWIB’s Systems Integration Subcommittee. This will allow LWIBs and partner staff to target their outreach and marketing efforts more efficiently and productively.
- Help WIBs keep their demand lists up to date and help LWIBs to plan strategically based on current labor market data. Our field analysts will continue to offer to assist LWIBs in a planning process designed to focus their limited training dollars toward priority demand occupations and to revamp their demand occupation lists. The planning process is as follows:
- Review worldwide and national economic and labor market trends, with special attention paid to potential local impact.
- Provide LMI on local industries so that the LWIBs can identify local priority industries.
- Identify the top occupations in each priority industry based on Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Program staffing patterns.
- Ask firms in those priority industries to identify which of those occupations are in demand. (A request of the LMI Advisory Committee.) These are priority demand occupations.
- R&S staff will help train Wagner-Peyser/Employment Service and One-Stop partner staff to use LMI from the web (see previous section for details).
- R&S will continue to task our out-stationed Labor Market Analysts to inform LWIB and partner staff concerning LMI availability and use, especially as it relates to applying for grants made available through the SWIB, serving customers of the One Stops, and program planning. Analysts are available for presentations to LWIBs, LWIB staff, partner staff, and any groups interested in LMI and its uses. Webinars will be investigated as a tool for delivering LMI training. (This was a suggestion of the LMI Advisory Committee.)
- Hold two training sessions for R&S field analysts will be held for the purpose of professional development and bringing staff up to date on the latest WIA and related LMI issues.
- Conduct special studies and economic analyses.
- Description of core product, service: When needed, states shall conduct special state, local, sub-state regional studies and analyses to support communities in economic transition, state and local workforce development initiatives, and responses to major layoffs or disasters.
- R&S will:
- Continue to prepare monthly estimates of employment by industry for smaller counties in New York State which are not funded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The estimates will be disseminated to LWIBs, and R&S staff will respond to labor market information requests from local planners, the media, and other interested parties.
- Continue to publish its statewide newsletter, Employment in New York State, in both hard copy and electronic formats.
- Prepare and make available to LWIBs occupational wage data by WIA area using the EDS software provided to the Occupational Employment Statistics program.
- Continue its semi-annual newsletter directed to local WIBs.
- Make available outstationed regional labor market analysts to LWIBs on an as-needed basis. Their services are especially valuable in applying for federal or statewide workforce development grants.
- Participate in the Census Bureau’s Local Employment Dynamics (LED) program if participation is approved (an amendment to the state Unemployment Insurance Law awaits the governor’s signature). This program would yield data on local job flows, job creation, new hires, separations, turnover, average monthly earnings, and new hire earnings for areas as small as WIA areas and for industries and demographic groups in those areas. R&S staff will train customers in the use of the data.
- Continue (in cooperation with BLS) to enhance ES-202 physical location and firm address information to allow electronic geocoding. This will allow our staff to better serve customers by mapping labor market information for our local partners.
- Staff will continue to take advantage of LMI Training Institute courses to enhance their analytical skills. Selected staff will be trained as Institute offerings are made available. R&S will become a member of the LMI Training Institute to take advantage of the reduced fees for classes. A representative of R&S will continue to serve as a member of the LMI Institute Board.
- Consultation and Customer Satisfaction Assessment
Although not specifically required by ETA in PY 2006, R&S feels that in order to improve service and better meet the needs of our customers, customer satisfaction information must continue to be collected from our customers to be used to foster continuous improvement.
Businesses need information on which to base business decisions; individuals need information to make informed career decisions. The Workforce Development System, the Welfare-to-Work program and local social service districts, and educational entities need information with which to plan. Because customer needs do not remain static over time, our customer satisfaction effort requires repeated asking of customers’ need. We will ask users and potential users about both the information provided and the manner in which it is provided. We use methods outlined in the handbook, Customer Satisfaction Made Easy, provided by the Workforce Information Council.
Step 1: Maintain the Customer Requests Database. We will continue to maintain a database of all customers contacting the LMI system. Requests for information, consultation, or data (either Central Office or the field staff network) by phone, letter, personal visit, or e-mail will be recorded in our Customer Request Database. The database will record the types of customers and organizations served. It will also record the kinds of information requested. It will allow us to tailor our continuous improvement efforts on particular products for particular groups. From this database we will choose a sample of customers to be queried concerning their satisfaction with our products and services.
Step 2: Analyze our web customers based on log analysis software on the Department’s web server. Most of our customers retrieve information from our web site. We will track the volume of customers using the site, the specific pages being viewed, and IP address of customers viewing the pages. This information will be valuable in assessing customer satisfaction and improving the future web application.
Step 3: Collect satisfaction/improvement data through our new search engine. The search engine on our web site will allow us to judge what LMI customers want. It will be key to determining the demand for LMI. The search engine will track what people are searching for and thereby document demand for specific types of LMI. It will allow us to return the information most likely desired by the customer when they type atypical terms into the search engine. Based on continuous review of what customers search for we will adapt the online delivery and presentation of LMI based on the demand.
Step 4: Assess customer satisfaction among businesses. We will evaluate the frequency of use of web pages under “LMI for Business” (increases or decreases may indicate satisfaction or dissatisfaction); and conduct a survey of a small sample of businesses taken from the Customer Requests Database (see Step 1 above). We will determine what can be done to improve services or publications after evaluating responses. We will also consult with the statewide LMI advisory Group concerning their needs for LMI.
Step 5: Assess customer satisfaction among individuals. We will survey individuals (jobseekers, unemployed persons, students, etc.) from the Customer Requests Database (see Step 1 above). We will evaluate results of the customer satisfaction questionnaire from individuals using the web site. We will determine appropriate changes and adjust/implement as necessary.
Step 6: Assess customer satisfaction of the Workforce Development System partners. We will survey the State Workforce Development Board, local boards, WP staff, Workforce Development Division staff, and training providers. We will use evaluation forms after training sessions in which we participate. We will determine improvements and implement as necessary