National JVS Workgroup

The Workgroup is a result of a concerted effort by the Workforce Information Council (WIC), the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to implement Job Vacancy Surveys around the country. Each of these entities has identified the need for such information.

• The WIC has identified developing accurate state and local job vacancy information as a vital goal. According to the WIC, the information is needed to "fill critical data gaps" that now exist.
• ETA-sponsored studies have demonstrated the feasibility of this project and demand for such information.
• The BLS has recently revisited the issue and reiterated the need for vacancy information at the state and local levels.

Working through the WIC, the States, BLS, and ETA formed the National JVS Workgroup in late 2000 to further these goals.

The Workgroup’s goals are to help States produce and disseminate timely state and local occupational job vacancy statistics, and:

• Employ statistically rigorous methodology.
• Develop comparable statistics across States and local areas.
• Reduce startup and overhead costs associated with survey implementation.
• Promote the use of job vacancy statistics.

The Workgroup has developed tools, resources and services to help State LMI Offices get started with their own job vacancy surveys. Upgrades and enhancements to the tools will be based on user feedback and available resources. Since training and technical support is key to running an efficient program, the Workgroup will provide that support for as long as resources are available.

JVS Workgroup Members

Patrick Arnold, MD
Olaf Bjorklund, ETA
Herb Greenwall, NM
William Brockmiller, WI
Shail Butani, BLS, Workgroup Co-Chair
Oriane Casale, MN
James Finch, FL
Rod Fortran, NY
George Foster, FL
Alexandra Hall, CO
Rosemary Hyson, BLS
Robert Kelley, ME
Jay Mousa, MN, Workgroup Co-Chair
Craig Offutt, BLS
George Stamas, BLS
Bo Szczepaniak, MD

Read Workgroup Meeting Minutes

• April 2001
• August 2001
• March 2002
• August 2002

For more information, contact Oriane Casale at oriane.casale@state.mn.us.