This report is a response to congressional requests for the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to identify, synthesize, and explain the core components of the workforce skills gap discourse and, to the extent possible, explore and clarify evidence on the existence of skills gaps. The report acknowledges that the skills gap label is often applied…

Over the past century, the United States workforce has undergone a massive structural shift. Technological change has moved the economy toward skilled labor and away from unskilled labor--a phenomenon known as skill-biased technical change. This structural shift has increased the relative demand for educated and skilled labor, leading to…

This appendix documents the methodology used by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce to project educational demand within the US economy. The methodology produces forecasts using data from two private analytics companies. The authors use occupational forecasts provided by Lightcast that are calibrated to total employment…

The staggering highs and lows of the recent US economy and their effect on the labor force has been deeply unsettling. The US has come through the COVID-19 recession, the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression, followed by the quickest recovery ever. One trend in the workforce has remained unaltered throughout this historic change:…

This report projects education requirements linked to forecasted job growth for all 50 states and the District of Columbia from 2021 through 2031. It complements a larger national report that projects education demand by occupation and industry for the same period. The national report finds that by 2031, 72 percent of all jobs nationally will…

It can be difficult choosing a career. When planning for the future, knowing which occupations are expected to grow--and which aren't--is valuable information. The "Occupational Outlook Handbook" (OOH), published every 2 years by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), features projections of job outlook and employment prospects. The 2012-13…

By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the economy will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. That's a pretty strong statement in defense of the value of higher education in this country. But it will mean little unless the nation's colleges and universities--and, specifically, community colleges--can produce more workers…

The outlook for jobs in the computer industry is excellent for people with appropriate training. The shortage of computer personnel is expected to continue, resulting in higher wages, more job mobility, increasing job security and generally greater opportunities for two million Americans by 1990. (CT)

Research in Nigeria and Thailand is used to demonstrate that, where vocational training is cost effective (graduates get appropriate jobs), links with employers are closer than in other labor markets. Techniques such as reverse tracer studies, labor market signaling, and skills analysis can be used to improve training effectiveness. (SK)

In the globalized world economy three types of jobs are emerging: routine production, in-person service, and symbolic analysis. In Australia, routine production is still the largest category, females outnumber males in service, and only one in five are symbolic analysts, predominantly male. Vocational education and training must change focus and…

Labor market planning techniques must take into account the dynamic nature of economies. A better approach than labor needs forecasting is use of labor market signals developed by monitoring wage and employment changes and evaluating training programs. (SK)

The authors believe that one should beware of adopting too general an approach to Third World training which fails to take account of different types of education and training. At the same time, they view the economy as a whole, including the rural sector and informal activities. (Author/CT)

Explains strengths and weaknesses of work force projection and forecasting approaches for determining supply and demand of skilled workers. Discusses how and why job training providers should use labor market analysis as the basis for planning relevant programs. (SK)

Technicians are taking a bigger role and commanding greater respect as the core employees of the digital information age. Employers must take the same care in hiring them as they would hiring managers. (SK)