In-Demand Occupations

Created OnFebruary 26, 2019

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In-Demand Occupations

COWIB-In-Demand-Occupations-revised-8.23-1 Download

Approved and Published: August 2023

Purpose

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

Authority

The authority to make this determination is explicitly stated in Section 3(23)(B) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA):

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.

Background

The definition of the term “in-demand occupation” is given in Section 3(23) of WIOA:

IN-DEMAND INDUSTRY SECTOR OR OCCUPATION. —IN GENERAL. — The term ‘‘in-demand industry sector or occupation’’ means—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; oran occupation that currently has or is projected to have a number of positions (including positions that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) in an industry sector so as to have a significant impact on the State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate.

There are several reasons why it is important to properly determine the in-demand occupations for a local workforce area. For example:

First, 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 occupations in the local area in order to assure compliance with the board composition requirements of WIOA.

Second, in using funds for Youth Workforce Investment Activities, the local workforce development board is required to support activities that provide “effective connections to employers… in in-demand industry sectors and occupations of the local and regional labor markets.” (Reference WIOA Sec. 129(c)(1)(C)(v))

Third, pursuant to WIOA Sec. 134(c)(3)(F)(v), when Adults and Dislocated Worker participants are contemplating the selection of a program of occupational skills training, the law 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.”

Fourth, pursuant to WIOA Sec. 134(c)(3)(G)(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…”

Fifth, when Individual Training Accounts are used to support occupational skills training for a WIOA Title I participant, WIOA Section 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 the 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.”

Additional Background

The WIOA Unified State Plan 2020-2023 and approved by the Department of Labor on June 1, 2020 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 occupations for which there is existing demand in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce to identify Oklahoma’s State-level Industry Clusters and Regional-Specific Industry Clusters. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce identified five key demand industry sectors, which we refer to in this state as Industry Clusters. We have identified these sectors / clusters 8 as giving Oklahoma a competitive advantage in a global economy. They exhibit significant potential for employment growth, and provide wealth generating employment opportunities. The five State Industry Clusters’ demand industries produce or provide similar goods and services and therefore have similar needs in workforce, infrastructure, and economic development policy. The five State Industry Clusters are Aerospace & Defense, Agriculture & Biosciences, Energy, Information and Financial Services, and Transportation and Distribution.

NOTE: In the State Plan, the state’s key demand industry sectors are referred to as “industry clusters.”

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 identifies over 150 “in-demand occupations” in the region. These occupations have a substantial current or potential impact (including through jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) on our regional economy.

Our list of in-demand occupations (Attachment A) is defined in two ways:

A 4-page list of 160 easily-identifiable in-demand occupations is attached. The occupations highlighted are newest additions for 2023. Each in-demand occupation is identified by a job title as well as an SOC code. For each in-demand occupation, a projection of employment growth (2022 – 2032) is given. A Location Quotient is also indicated. The employment projections are derived from a report prepared by Lightcast (www.EconomicModeling.com).
Additionally, COWIB recognizes that an in-demand occupation is any other occupation that:
- Is related to an in-demand industry sector in our region; and
- Is projected to have a number of open positions in that industry.

For the purpose of determining whether an occupation is “related to” an in-demand industry sector, we will use the O*Net Online website as a resource for establishing a relationship between an occupation and an industry.

For example, Wind Turbine Service Technician (SOC 49-9081) is not given in our list of in- demand occupations. Even so, we will regard it as an in-demand occupation in Central Oklahoma because, according to the O*Net Online website, Wind Turbine Service Technician is related to the Utilities sector. It is also related to the Construction sector.

See illustration, next page.

(Utilities and Construction are both recognized as in-demand industry sectors in Central Oklahoma).

This determination will be reviewed periodically and may be updated as needed.

Here is an illustration of how the O*Net Online resource serves to establish a relationship between an occupation (Wind Turbine Service Technician) and an in-demand industry (Utilities or Construction):

Screen grab from ONet Online of Wind Turbine Service Technicians occupation information. Within Workforce Characteristics header, within the Wages & Employment Trends header, Top Industries lists Utilities, Other Services (Except Public Administration), and Construction. Red arrows are pointing at Utilities and Construction.

The red arrows were added to this illustration to show that the top industries for Wind Turbine Service Technicians are Utilities and Construction.

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, approvals, and/or forms to further implement the requirements of policy, without making substantive change to the policy, except in situations when a new or updated state and federal guidance is issued.