In-Demand Industry Sectors

Approved and Published: June 2019

Updated: July 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this item is to make a determination of the industry sectors that have a substantial current or potential impact on the economy of Central Oklahoma.

Authority

The authority for this policy is derived from the following:

• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) §3(23)(B);

:§129(c)(1)(C)(v);

:§134(c)

Background

As found in WIOA §3(23)(B):

(B) DETERMINATION. – The determination of whether an industry sector or occupation is in-demand under this paragraph shall be made by the State board or local board, as appropriate, using State and regional business and labor market projections, including the use of labor market information.

The definition of “in-demand industry sector” is given in §3(23):

                (23) IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTOR OR OCCUPATION.-

                                (A) IN GENERAL. – The term “In-demand industry sector or occupation” means –

(i) an industry sector that has a substantial current or potential impact (including through jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) on the State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate, and that contributes to the growth or stability of other supporting businesses, or the growth of other industry sectors.

The Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation Board has developed this demand industry guidance for several reasons:

• Local Workforce Development Board Composition
  • Section 107(b)(2) of WIOA requires that the business members of the local workforce development board must represent businesses that “provide employment opportunities…in in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the local area.”  Therefore, it is important to determine the in-demand industry sectors in the local area in order to assure compliance with the board composition requirements of WIOA.

• Youth Workforce Investment Activities
  • Section 129(c)(1)(C)(v) requires that the local workforce development board support activities that provide “effective connections to employers…in in-demand industry sectors and occupations of the local and regional labor markets.”
• Adult and Dislocated Worker Selection of Occupational Skills Training
  • WIOA §134(c)(3)(F)(v) requires that, “Priority consideration shall, consistent with clause (i), be given to programs that lead to recognized postsecondary credentials that are aligned with in-demand industry sectors or occupations in the local area involved.”
• Contracts Awarded for Occupational Skills Training
  • Pursuant to WIOA §134(c)(3)(ii)(V)(aa), some special types of occupational skills training may be provided “if…the local board determines that…it would be most appropriate to award a contract…in order to facilitate the training of multiple individuals in in-demand industry sectors or occupations.”
• Individual Training Accounts (ITA) Used To Support Occupational Skills Training
  • WIOA §134(c)(3)(G)(iii) requires that the training services “be directly linked to an in-demand industry sector or occupation in the local area or planning region, or in another area to which an adult or dislocated worker receiving such services is willing to relocate, except that a local board may approve training services for occupations determined by the local board to be in sectors of the economy that have a high potential for sustained demand or growth in the local area.”

In the WIOA Unified State Plan, the state’s key demand industry sectors are referred to as “ecosystems”.

The State Plan provides a description of the industries and occupations for which there is existing demand in the Central planning region.  Here is an excerpt:

This section will provide an analysis of the industries and occupation for which there is existing demand in the Central planning region.  The Central planning region consists of nine counties in the central area of the state, and is more densely populated than other planning regions.  …Aerospace and Defense is a significant ecosystem…  Central Oklahoma also has competitive advantages in Energy, Information and Financial Services, and Transportation and Distribution.

The State Plan goes on to describe additional industries and occupations for which demand is emerging.  For Central Oklahoma, the emerging demand industries are identified as:

Health Care and Social Assistance; Accommodation and Food Services; Government; Retail Trade; Construction; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Management of Companies and Enterprises; Finance and Insurance; Educational Services; Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; Transportation and Warehousing; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; Utilities; and Wholesale Trade.

Determination

Relying on the WIOA Unified State Plan as well as our own independent review of regional business and labor market projections, the Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation Board determines that the following industry sectors are “in-demand industry sectors” in Central Oklahoma.

• Aerospace and Defense
• Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
• Transportation and Warehousing
• Management of Companies and Enterprises
• Educational Services
• Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Accommodation and Food Services
• Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
• Health Care and Social Assistance
• Wholesale Trade
• Construction
• Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
• Manufacturing
• Finance and Insurance
• Retail Trade
• Government
• Information and Financial Services

Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Statement

All Recipients, and Sub-recipients / Sub-grantees must comply with WIOA’s Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination provisions which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, transgender status, and gender identity), national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, political affiliation or belief, or, for beneficiaries, applicants, and participants only, on the basis of citizenship status or participation in a WIOA Title-I financially assisted program or activity.

Addenda / Revisions

The COWIB Chief Executive Officer is authorized to issue additional instructions, guidance, forms, etc., to further implement these procedures.

Questions about these procedures may be directed to the COWIB’s Policy Analyst at (405) 622-2026.