DWD: Labor Market Data Available Online

Contact:
Rose Lynch (608) 266-6753

New website provides economic information

Madison – Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Roberta Gassman today announced a new department website created by DWD’s Office of Economic Advisors. The new site — located at — houses economic data and forecasts for the state, as well as workforce changes; unemployment rates; labor force and employment industry estimates; county workforce profiles, including population, labor force, industries, and employers by county; occupation and industry wages; and income and commuting pattern information.

“The information on this new web site will be a great resource for those interested in learning more about Wisconsin’s economy, including job seekers, employers, researchers, students and policy makers,” said Secretary Gassman. “We are pleased to provide this outlet for the extensive data and economic information that is captured and analyzed by the Office of Economic Advisors.”

Created in the fall of 2003 as part of Governor Doyle’s “Grow Wisconsin” initiative, the Office of Economic Advisors is comprised of state and local economists and analysts. Their goal is to make labor market data meaningful and useful for businesses, job seekers, and government. The web site provides a more convenient avenue for users of the site to obtain economic-related information.

Annually, the Office of Economic Advisors publishes County Workforce Profiles. Each profile includes narratives, tables, and charts detailing county-level labor markets in the state. County Workforce Profiles also include data on population, labor force, largest industries and employers, occupation and industry wages, income, and educational attainment.

Also found on this web site are the latest employment projections. Long-term projections supply a 10-year outlook with projections to 2012. The short-term projections predict employment to 2005. Regional occupation projections, for both the long and short term, will be available on the web site in the near future.

Other useful information housed on the OEA web site include Economic Indicators, Per Capita Personal Income, Affirmative Action, and Commuting Patterns. Also found on the OEA web site are links and helpful tips to data on other sites, such as the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Wisconsin Department of Administration, and others.