1 Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & PlanningLabor Market Information for Wyoming Presented at the Other Ways to Win: Career Readiness Seminar, Casper, WY by Sara Saulcy, Senior Economist and Patrick Manning, Principal Economist December 1, 2012

2 Who is Research & Planning?OUR ORGANIZATION: R&P is a separate, exclusively statistical entity. WHAT WE DO: R&P collects, analyzes, and publishes timely and accurate labor market information (LMI) meeting established statistical standards. OUR CUSTOMERS: LMI makes the labor market more efficient by providing the public and the public’s representatives with the basis for informed decision making.

3 Presentation Road map Sara SaulcyWhat’s the difference between occupations and industries? Resources from: Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (WY-DWS) U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) Selected non-government resources Pat Manning Projections Factors which influence projections Industry projections Occupational projections Other factors to consider for careers Employer-provided benefits

4 Occupations and Industries What’s the Difference?Occupation: A set of activities or tasks that employees are paid to perform. Employees who perform essentially the same tasks are in the same occupation, whether or not they work in the same industry. Industry: A group of similar establishments that produce similar products or provide similar services.

5 Occupations and Industries What’s the Difference?A single occupation may appear frequently across many industries. Example: Accountants work in virtually every industry, including: Elementary and secondary schools General freight trucking Amusement parks & arcades Oil & gas extraction.

6 Occupations and Industries What’s the Difference?The Wyoming Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages report for first quarter 2012 shows 18,642 jobs in the construction industry. Doesn’t mean that all of these employees worked on a construction site. Firms in the construction industry may employ receptionists, human resource managers, computer support specialists, and other workers who are included in the total.

7 Career and Occupational Resources from WY-DWSWyoming Department of Workforce Services, Wyoming at Work site: https://www.wyomingatwork.com/ “One-stop shopping” for Employers looking for workers, money to train workers, and other resources Employees looking for career guidance, jobs, work or training resources Includes a link to R&P’s labor market information site

8 Career and Occupational Resources from WY-DWSWyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning Career Information page:   Licensed occupations directory Wyoming Career Explorer 2011 Links to Wyoming community colleges and the University of Wyoming

9 Career and Occupational Resources from WY-DWSOccupational Employment Statistics: Survey of employers about occupations and associated wages Data available for Wyoming and substate regions Wage data to be discussed later as part of projections New hires survey: Survey of employers about workers they’ve recently hired Wages, benefits, other compensation Importance of various job skills to employers Demographic characteristics Industries

10 Career and Occupational Resources from WY-DWSBenefits survey: Survey of employers about benefits they provide (or not) to their employees Data by employer size and industry Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages: Describes employment & wages in Wyoming by industry, county, and other characteristics Growing and declining industries: Industries in which the employment level is increasing/decreasing by 5% or more for two quarters over the year period

11 Career and Occupational Resources from USDOLPublication: “High Wages After High School – Without a Bachelor’s Degree,” from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Includes information about: Occupations which have median annual wages of $50,000 or higher as of May 2010 that don’t require a Bachelor’s degree Work experience requirements and types of on-the-job training Projected growth in the U.S. for these occupations

12 Career and Occupational Resources from USDOLU.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*NET Resource Center: Good resource for learning about careers in general such as what types of knowledge, skills, and abilities are required Information about national employment trends and wages.

13 Career and Occupational Resources from USDOLU.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration CareerOneStop site: Provides guidance about career exploration, U.S. wage information, job search, and resume and interviewing skills. Also on the site is information specific to “green” careers, e.g., wind turbine installers.

14 Non-Government Career and Occupational ResourcesCareerPath.com: Associated with the Career Builder website Provides career planning, tests, and advice Forbes magazine online, “The Best Jobs That Don't Require A Bachelor's Degree:” Discusses the pitfalls of earning a Bachelor’s degree Refers readers to jobs which are high paying but don’t require a Bachelor’s

15 Non-Government Career and Occupational ResourcesGreen Careers Guide: Has a wide range of resources for individuals interested in pursuing “green” careers

16 ~Projections ~Other Factors to Consider for a Career ~Employer-Provided Benefits

17 Occupation Replacement Need and ProjectionsDue to the aging of the ‘Baby Boom’ generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) the average age of the United States workforce is increasing The age of Wyoming’s workforce is aging at a higher rate than the U.S. overall Regardless of whether a particular occupation is expected to grow in terms of total employment, there is a substantial need to replace members of the ‘Baby Boomer’ generation that are retiring

18 Replacement need (cont.): Aging of WY workforce

19 Occupation Replacement Need and Projections (cont.)Replacement Need versus Job Growth For example, for ‘All Occupations’, growth is expected to be 15% from (1.5% per year). This corresponds to new annual openings of 4,087 per year due to growth However, due to replacement needs, there are expected to be 27,747 openings per year over this time period Replacement Need is due to: Retirement People leaving the workforce for other reasons People that leave industries and never come back

20 Projection Caveats Many things can affect (or completely invalidate) various economic projections. Unforeseen Events (September 11, 2001) Effects on security occupations (demand greatly increased) Effects on airline occupations (demand decreased, at least in the short run) Unusual disturbances in the business cycle (e.g. The Great Recession)

21 Projection Caveats (cont.)Changes in Technology in Various Industries or Occupations Various industries have become more capital-intensive and less labor intensive over time (e.g. row crop farming ) Web Developers did not exist 30 years ago There are very few telegraph operators these days Changes in legislation The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Rotary Drill Operators Oil and Gas

22 American Recovery and Reinvestment ActLegislation that injected funds into the U.S. economy in an attempt to stimulate an economic recovery Education (e.g. state fiscal relief to prevent cuts in education aid and provide block grants) Health Care (e.g. continued COBRA coverage for the involuntarily unemployed) Public Works Projects (pictured below)

23 Projections Conducted for occupations and industriesShort-term projections cover a 2-year period for industries only Long-term projections are for both industries and occupations and cover a 10-year period Long-term Sub-state projections are available by industry Projections are updated ever other year

24 Industry Projections (2011-2021)Top 5 Industries in Terms of Overall Job Growth 1. Health Care and Social Assistance (926 openings/year, 3,591 replacement need/year) 2. Mining Industry (846 openings/year, 2,455 replacement need/year) 3. Educational Services (811 openings/year, 2,556 replacement need/year)

25 Industry Projections (2011-2021)Top 5 Industries in Terms of Overall Job Growth 4. Public Administration (288 openings/year, 2,220 replacement need/year) 5. Transportation and Warehousing (274 openings/year, 1,153 replacement need/year)

26 Occupational Projections 2011-2021Top 5 Occupations in terms of overall job growth 1. Operating Engineers and other construction equipment operators 151 openings/year, 447 replacement need/year Avg. wage $47,929/year, moderate-term OJT 2. Registered Nurses 133 openings/year, 522 replacement need/year Avg. wage $60,929/year, Associate's degree 3. Heavy & Tractor Trailer Truck Drivers 114 openings/year, 706 replacement need/year Avg. wage $43,266/year, moderate-term OJT Operating Engineers and other construction equipment operators Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, Derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties. or Registered Nurses Truck Drivers, Heavy & Tractor Trailer Teaching Assistants Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining

27 Occupational Projections 2011-2021 (cont.)Top 5 Occupations in terms of overall job growth 4. Teaching Assistants 109 openings/year, 333 replacement need/year Avg. wage $25,469/year, short-term OJT) 5. Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining 99 openings/year, 334 replacement need/year Avg. wage $46,984/year, moderate-term OJT) Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations.

28 Occupational Projections (2011-2021)Other Health Care Occupations Dental Hygienists 12 openings/year, 45 replacement need/year Avg. wage $66,556/year, Associate’s degree) Licensed Practical Nurses 20 openings/year, 87 replacement need/year Avg. wage $40,560/year, Postsecondary vocational award Respiratory Therapists 9 openings/year, 30 replacement need/year Avg. wage $54,770/year, Associate’s degree)

29 Other Factors to Consider Other Than WagesWork Environment: Questions a prospective worker may ask themselves Do I enjoy working outdoors or in a climate-controlled environment? Am I team-oriented or a lone wolf? Is the occupation hazardous (e.g. truck driver in Wyoming relative to an administrative assistant)? Work Schedule: “Regular” office hours vs. shifting work schedules * According to Kiplinger.com

30 Other Factors to Consider Other Than Wages (cont.)Quality of Life Cost of Living (Assume a $50,000/year salary) Omaha, NE = not bad (10th lowest COL in U.S.*) New York City, NY = not good (highest COL in U.S.*) Does the job provide any benefits? Examples include: Health Insurance Retirement Plans * According to Kiplinger.com

31 Health Insurance Provided by Industry

32 Retirement Plans Provided by Industry

33 Summary A wide range of online resources are available to help facilitate career research. Much of what was presented can be applied to occupations which require a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Occupational and industry projections, although useful, are not without caveats. Future employees ought to consider not only wages, but other factors, such as working conditions, when researching careers. Employer-provided benefits are often not meaningful for people coming right out of high school, but they will matter more to them as they age.

34 Contact Research & PlanningPlease feel free to contact us if you need help finding or understanding occupational or other labor market information. Phone: Website: Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2760 Casper, WY 82602