Develop and disseminate essential state and local labor market information (LMI) for a range of customer groups: 1) job seekers 2) businesses employers 3) workforce and labor market intermediaries…

The Maine Department of Labor received a $323,379 formula grant award effective July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028, from the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) under the Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities program (CFDA 17.207). This grant supports the development and dissemination of essential state and local labor market information (LMI) products and services to diverse customer groups including job seekers, employers, workforce intermediaries, educational institutions, policymakers, and economic development partners. The Maine Department of Labor, in collaboration with subrecipient Baxter Academy for Technology & Science, will maintain a workforce information database, produce employment projections and statewide economic analysis reports, and ensure adequate training for LMI staff.

The grant's intended outcomes enable users of labor market information to make informed decisions regarding employment, career development, education, and training opportunities. Grantees are required to deliver accurate, actionable data and resources that support informed decision-making about reemployment strategies, work-based learning, training, and career pathways leading to rapid reemployment and worker advancement in high-demand, higher-wage occupations. While the program encourages production of additional reports and data products beyond minimum requirements, grantees maintain discretion over topics and presentation formats to serve their diverse customer base effectively.

Purpose

The purpose of this grant is to develop and disseminate essential state and local labor market information (LMI) for a range of customer groups: 1) job seekers 2) businesses employers 3) workforce and labor market intermediaries such as employment, school, and career counselors, and case managers at american job centers, who help individuals find a job or make career decisions, or engage businesses seeking skilled workers 4) program and service planners at educational institutions and community-based organizations 5) policy makers, including state and local workforce development boards 6) partners, such as economic development entities and human resource professionals and 7) other customers, including recipients of workforce development grants, researchers, commercial data providers, and the media.

Activities

Grantees must populate and maintain a workforce information database, produce two types of public products (employment projections and a statewide economic analysis report), and ensure LMI staff are adequately trained. ETA also encourages grantees to produce other reports and data in addition to those required. Grantees have wide discretion in both the topics and presentation format. These reports should include accurate data, actionable information, and resources that enable data users to make informed decisions about the reemployment, work-based learning, training, and career pathways strategies that lead to rapid reemployment and worker advancement along a continuum of high-demand and higher wage jobs.

Expected outcomes

By performing these duties users of LMI will have sufficient information to make informed decisions regarding employment, careers, education, and training.

Intended beneficiaries

Job seekers, employers, staff in american job centers, state and local workforce boards, national state local policy makers, students, academic researchers, labor market analysts, and other users of LMI.

Subrecipient activities

A state may use wigs funding to work with a subrecipient to conduct a study or research an LMI topic when a state LMI office does not have sufficient staffing or knowledge to conduct the work themselves.