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 Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) received a $469,461 Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration under the Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities program (CFDA 17.207), effective July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. This award supports the development and dissemination of essential state and local labor market information (LMI) to a broad range of stakeholders, including job seekers, employers, workforce intermediaries, educational institutions, policymakers, and economic development partners. OESC is required to populate and maintain a workforce information database, produce employment projections, and deliver a statewide economic analysis report, while ensuring adequate training for LMI staff.

The grant enables OESC to provide actionable labor market data and resources that support informed decision-making regarding employment, careers, education, and training strategies. Products and services are designed to facilitate rapid reemployment, work-based learning pathways, and worker advancement into high-demand and higher-wage occupations. The program emphasizes universal access to employment services without eligibility restrictions, positioning OESC's LMI activities as a cornerstone component of Oklahoma's public workforce system infrastructure through American Job Centers and state workforce development partnerships.

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.