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 State of Kansas Department of Commerce received a $414,866 formula grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) under the Employment Service/Wagner-Peyser Funded Activities program (CFDA 17.207) for the period of July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. This award supports the development and dissemination of essential state and local labor market information (LMI) to diverse customer groups including job seekers, employers, workforce intermediaries, educational institutions, policymakers, and economic development entities.

Under this grant, the Kansas Department of Commerce must populate and maintain a workforce information database, produce employment projections and a statewide economic analysis report, and ensure adequate training for LMI staff. The grantee has discretion to develop additional reports and data products designed to provide accurate, actionable information that enables users to make informed decisions regarding employment, careers, education, and training pathways. The intended beneficiaries include job seekers, employers, American Job Center staff, state and local workforce boards, students, academic researchers, and other LMI users across Kansas.

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.