Investing in Labor–Market Information (LMI): A Summary of the State LMI Improvement...

"The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded $50 million in state LMI improvement grants to 30 grantees, including 24 individual state workforce agencies (SWAs) and six consortia of SWAs. In this report, we summarize information about grantees’ goals, definitions of green jobs, partners and stakeholders, activities, products, and dissemination strategies. The report is based on a review of grantees’ statements of work (SOWs), quarterly progress reports, and information gathered from in-depth site visits with nine grantees." (p. vii) (Abstractor: Author)

Full Publication Title: Investing in Labor–Market Information (LMI): A Summary of the State LMI Improvement Grants Final Report

"• Goals. Grantees pursued a variety of goals, reflecting the economic conditions in their areas, the priorities of SWAs or consortia of SWAs, and earlier green-jobs efforts in the states. We classified grantee- identified SOW goals into six categories: (1) identify green jobs, skills, and competencies; (2) determine the current labor supply and demand for green jobs; (3) project future green jobs; (4) connect workers to green jobs; (5) enhance LMI infrastructure; and (6) disseminate information about green jobs. The majority of grantees identified at least four of these goals to guide grant activities and products. • Green-Jobs definitions. To collect LMI on green jobs, grantees had to identify which jobs were green. Their understanding of what constituted a green job was still evolving during the grant period, and Grantees employed various definitions of green jobs in their activities, products, and dissemination strategies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released a preliminary definition of green jobs in March 2010, which was adopted and modified by six grantees. Two grantees opted to use BLS’s revised green jobs definition released in September 2010 (referred to as the “standard BLS definition” in this report). Twenty-one grantees developed or used existing state- specific definitions, determined through prior research, or, in some cases, state statute. One grantee decided not to define green, but instead to rather allowing the users of its product to select their own definitions. Although most grantees developed or adopted a primary green-jobs definition, many had to use an alternative definition for some of their activities or products. Off-the-shelf products typically embedded included a green-jobs definition that could not be adjusted for specific states. • Partnerships. To receive funds, grantees were required to implement their projects through a “robust strategic partnership” that included state workforce investment boards (WIBs), state LMI and research entities, and employers and industry leaders. Partnerships varied in several important ways, including the goals of the partnership, the structure of the arrangement, and the delegation of responsibilities. Some partnership arrangements included contracts or memoranda of understanding, whereas and others were more informal. Although all grantees reported having at least five partners, some of the grantees reported having many more. • Activities. Grantees planned and implemented a breadth of activities. Many were focused around gathering information on green jobs. Grantees conducted literature reviews; analyzed extant data to identify worker and firm trends; interviewed experts, stakeholders, and employers; and administered surveys to better understand the nature of green jobs. This data gathering represented a significant portion of grantee activities and often involved the grantees’ partners. • Products. All grantees produced deliverables or products with LMI grant funds. These products included research reports, employment projections, career tools for green jobs, and infrastructure improvements. Many developed a variety of products within these categories that enhanced both the understanding of and access to information on green jobs. • Dissemination. As required by the grant, all 30 grantees developed a dissemination plan. These plans involved a variety of media, forums, and tools to disseminate information and grant products, including electronic tools, social media, and conference presentations. In addition to attending and presenting at conferences, some grantees hosted conferences to engage stakeholders and share information collected through the grant." (p. viii-ix) (Abstractor: Author)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2012
• Author(s): Berk, Jillian; Laird, Elizabeth; English, Brittany
• Organizational Author(s): Mathematica Policy Research
• Funding Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
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• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies