Participants learned practical strategies for using LMR data, explored ways to request additional data, and gained tools to support informed decision-making.
Slide Deck - Labor Market Learning Series: Session Three
Meeting notes include:
- Quarterly Labor Market Data Analysis: Haley and Kevin led a detailed review of quarterly labor market report data, comparing Q1 and Q2 figures for Detroit and the WIN region, highlighting trends in labor force, employment, unemployment, and job postings, and discussing the implications of these changes for workforce planning.
- Detroit Quarterly Comparisons: Presented a comparison of Q1 and Q2 labor market data for Detroit, noting a decrease of 5,044 people in the labor force, an increase of 1,714 in employment, and a decrease of 6,759 in unemployment, indicating positive trends from quarter to quarter.
- Annual Versus Quarterly Trends: Explained that while quarterly changes showed improvements, annual comparisons revealed a smaller increase in unemployment and increases in both employment and labor force, emphasizing the importance of reviewing both timeframes for a complete picture.
- WIN Region Data Patterns: Discussed similar analyses for the WIN region, noting that while the labor force decreased and employment increased from Q1 to Q2, annual data showed an increase in labor force and a decrease in unemployment, sometimes presenting an opposite trend to the quarterly data.
- Job Posting Trends: Highlighted that unique job postings have generally decreased between Q1 and Q2 for both Detroit and the WIN region in 2024 and 2025, but historical data from previous years showed increases during the same period, suggesting the need for caution when interpreting short-term trends.
- Demographic and Occupational Stability: Noted that there were minimal changes in demographics, top jobs, wages, education, and skills between quarters, with more significant changes typically observed on an annual basis.
- Utilizing Labor Market Report Data: A facilitated interactive activities and discussions on how to use labor market report data for narratives, needs statements, grant applications, and wage analysis, providing practical examples and guiding participants through data interpretation exercises.
- Matching Data to Use Cases: An exercise where participants matched different types of labor market data (such as employment numbers, education requirements, skills, and wages) to specific use cases like focusing on occupation size, education, training, livable wages, and housing.
- Wage Data Calculations: Guiding participants through calculating annual salaries from hourly median wages for top and bottom occupations, demonstrating how to use wage data to inform program design and career guidance.
- Comparing Regional and National Data: Comparison of Detroit's labor market data to national figures, such as job postings and median salaries, to contextualize local trends and inform strategic decisions.
- Talent Pipeline and Skills Pathways: Discussion using labor market data to identify in-demand skills, certifications, and educational requirements for IT roles, and offered to provide more detailed pathways upon request.
- Labor Market Data Methodology and Limitations: Kevin provided an overview of the methodology behind the labor market reports, emphasizing the use of job postings as a proxy for demand, the limitations of data granularity, and the importance of understanding how representative the reported data is for different occupations and regions.
- Data Aggregation and Representation: Explained that the labor market reports aggregate high volumes of job posting data to identify top skills, certifications, and educational requirements, but only the most representative items are included due to space constraints.
- Interpreting Skills and Certifications: Clarified that some in-demand skills or certifications may not appear in the top five or ten due to their relative frequency, and encouraged users to reach out for clarification if something seems missing or unclear.
- Proxy Measures and Data Context: Emphasized that job postings are used as a proxy for labor market demand, and that the introductory sections of the reports provide important context for interpreting the data.
- Scenario-Based Workforce Planning Exercises: Kevin led participants through a series of scenario-based challenges focused on reskilling, employer engagement, talent pipeline design, and retention strategies, prompting discussion on data-driven decision-making and the use of labor market information for workforce development.
- Reskilling Sector Selection: Presented a scenario where participants had to choose a sector for reskilling displaced workers in Detroit, weighing job posting volume, educational requirements, wage data, and growth trends, with healthcare and business/finance as leading options.
- Employer Engagement Prioritization: Participants were asked to prioritize three large employers for engagement initiatives based on job posting data, sector demand, and potential for impactful partnerships, with discussion on aligning training programs and tracking success metrics.
- IT Talent Pipeline Design: Described a strategy for preparing entry-level IT candidates, including designing on-ramps for those without bachelor's degrees, collaborating with employers to co-design curricula, and using wage data to motivate stakeholders.
- Retention and Upskilling in Skilled Trades: A scenario was presented involving high turnover among entry-level maintenance workers, prompting discussion on wage adjustments, career ladders, mentorship, internal surveys, and partnerships with technical schools and trade unions to improve retention.
- Data Requests and Support Services: Kevin and Alysha explained the process for submitting data requests to WIN, distinguishing between quick data requests and larger data projects, and encouraged participants to use these services for workforce development needs.
- Submitting Data Requests: Kevin outlined that WIN board members and the public can submit data requests for workforce development information, with smaller requests completed for free and larger projects requiring a scope of work.
- Types of Data Provided: Examples of available data include job posting volumes, in-demand skills, technical and soft skills, and labor market forecasts, with support for both internal and external stakeholders.
- Accessing Support: Alysha provided a the data requests form and highlighted WIN's readiness to assist with media, press releases, and custom data pulls for organizations.
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