1. Using Quarterly Workforce Indicators to Quickly Write Interesting Articles September 20, 2017
Cameron Macht
DEED Labor Market Information Office
Regional Analysis & Outreach |

2. Labor Market Information Office
DEED has used QWI in a variety of articles
Exploring the aging and changing diversity of Minnesota’s workforce by industry and geography
DEED has two award-winning monthly and quarterly publications
Minnesota Employment Review
Minnesota Economic Trends
DEED’s Regional Analysis & Outreach unit also creates Regional Profiles and custom reports that utilize QWI

3. Labor Market Information Office
Let’s be clear – everything is relative
“Quickly” – some articles have taken weeks of research, writing, and editing; others have been written in a day or two…
“Interesting” – we do our best to provide context to important issues, but “interesting” is definitely in the eye of the beholder
“Articles” – we also use QWI to write blog posts, regional profiles, and provide customized reports in response to requests

4. Selling the News
Household income for Blacks in Minnesota fell in the past year, according to Census data
From 2013 to 2014, the median income for Black households in the state fell 14%
That was a decline from $31,021 to $27,026
The statewide poverty rate for Black residents rose from 33% to 38%, compared to a stable state rate of 11%
Income and poverty for other racial groups in Minnesota - whites, Asians, and Hispanics - remained stable
Only Blacks saw declines
The median Black household in Minnesota is now worse off than in Mississippi
Minnesota ranked 45th in median Black household income, Mississippi ranked 44th ($27,252)
Overall = $61,481 versus $39,680

5. Economic Trends: Breaking Down Barriers
While the state economy has made a strong comeback from the recession, not all racial and ethnic groups in Minnesota have shared in the recovery
DEED’s December 2015 issue of Minnesota Economic Trends, studied and analyzed population and labor force trends, wage and employment disparities, workforce diversity by region and industry, and employment outcomes from higher education by race

6. Greater Diversity in Greater Minnesota
Economic Trends completely devoted to Minnesota’s racial economic disparities
Used QWI to look at the number of jobs held by workers of each race group and Hispanic/Latino origin, broken down by industry
Change from
Included a Case Study from a local long-term care facility

7. LED Extraction Tool - QWI
Select your geography
Select your firm characteristics
Select “All Private” to access firm age and size
Select your worker characteristics
Gender and Age
Race and Ethnicity
Select your indicators
Emp (beginning of quarter counts) – most similar to QCEW
Select your quarters
Submit Request
Download CSV

8. QWI Explorer Tool
Select your geography
Select more detailed “Geography”
Select your industry
Select firm ownership
Firm Age/Size
X-axis - Yearly Averages
Group
Worker Characteristics
Race/Ethnicity
Age
Education
Counts

9. Greater Diversity in Greater Minnesota
Employment Review article focused on changing workforce demographics in Greater MN
Used QWI to look at the number of jobs held by workers of each race group and Hispanic/Latino origin, broken down by region
assets/january-review_ tcm pdf

10. Stuck in Neutral by Dave Senf
Wage and employment disparities for minority workers have changed little over 20 years
While racial employment, earnings and income disparities have existed historically, the gaps have become more visible in recent years due to more and better data becoming available
Minority workers now account for a higher share of workers in Minnesota, but…
the gain in minority employment has occurred disproportionately in lower-paid jobs
Relative pay has declined for Black, American Indian, and workers of Two or More Races
But increased rapidly for Asians

11. A Seismic Shift
Employment Review feature on the aging of the workforce broken down by industry
Highlight on the number of jobs held by workers aged 55 years and over
Included links to MN Dept. of Education’s report on Teacher Supply & Demand
Focused on industries that typically rely on younger workers: Retail Trade, Accommodation & Food Services, and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
november-2015-pdf-of-review_tcm pdf

12. State of the State
Economic Trends “state of the state” issue with regional articles
Analysis on the number of jobs held by workers aged 55 years and over broken down by region and industry

13. Education is the Foundation
Employment Review feature on Minnesota’s elementary & secondary schools
Turnover rates by age group
Percent of workers aged younger & older than 45 years
Recent separation & hiring trends by age
assets/August%202016% 20Review%20complete_ tcm pdf

14. Education and Jobs
Economic Trends feature on education of workers broken down by industry
Educational Attainment by Industry
Average Monthly Earnings by Educational Attainment by Industry
Turnover Rate by Educational Attainment by Industry
assets/december education-jobs_tcm pdf

15. A Higher Level of New Hires
Employment Review feature on hiring activity during the economic recovery
Comparison of vacancies and unemployed job seekers
Stable New Hires broken down by Industry
Stable New Hires broken down by Educational Attainment by Industry
Change in Stable New Hires by Age Group over 5 years
assets/june-2015-review_tcm pdf

16. THANK YOU! Questions? Cameron Macht
Regional Analysis & Outreach Manager
Labor Market Information Office