Developing a Skill-Based Local Labor Market Information System: A Guidebook forCommunities

摘要

This guidebook is the result of a demonstration project to improve the qualityand usefulness of local labor market information. The project brought together key participants from both the demand and supply sides: employers, education and training providers, and government agencies involved in workforce development. The project involved representatives from each of these user groups in developing an information system that could facilitate and lower the cost of local labor market transactions. The project's methodolgy consists of six basic steps: (1) organizing the project, including getting key users to 'buy in,' (2) determining industry coverage, after analysis of the local economy, (3) analyzing occupations to find those with high opportunities, (4) selecting target occupations, (5) developing occupational profiles, and (6) developing the information system, in printed form and as interactive computer software. As information is developed, the process cycles back through the six steps to expand the system's coverage. The guidebook can be used by communities to integrate statistical data on local labor markets with qualitative skill information from local employers to create an information system that is useful and user-friendly.