An analysis of 48,131 recently laid-off workers living in Milwaukee County and drawing unemployment insurance showed most of prime working age -- 80% are ages 25 through 59 and only 8% are aged 60 and above. The UI recipients included a number of difficult-to-serve populations: 7,232 ex-offenders in the state Department of Corrections system, 5,240 W-2 (TANF) clients, and 2,097 additional single parents who had participated in the state subsidized child care system and had children under age 6. The downturn in the economy was felt throughout Milwaukee County with 30% of the UI recipients living in the suburbs and 70% in the city of Milwaukee. However, 95% of those with exhausted benefits were city rather than suburban residents.

A review of currently licensed professionals residing in Milwaukee County was conducted for seven key health occupations: 9,290 registered nurses, 1.936 licensed practical nurses, 422 dental hygienists, 540 occupational therapists, 140 occupational therapy assistants, 648 physical therapists, and 215 physical therapist assistants. Demographics of each occupation, numbers of newly credentialed residents, and retention rates by field are explored.

Larger private sector companies are reporting far fewer workers engaged in blue collar manual labor (as skilled craftsmen, semi-skilled operatives, and unskilled laborers) than a decade ago, according to EEO reports filed by companies with 100+ workers. The largest increases were seen for professionals and managerial staff. Although the largest minority population in the Milwaukee area, African Americans lagged behind both Hispanics and Asians in their employment gains in the private sector. The highest concentrations of African Americans are employed as service workers and office workers. Hispanics show their largest numbers as laborers, operatives, and service workers. Asian Americans show concentration as professionals and operatives.

The state Department of Corrections (DOC) ex-offender population of adults released to Milwaukee County or on probation and parole has reached 31,152. Another 10,894 Milwaukee County adults were currently incarcerated. The DOC ex-offender population is up by 4,380 over the 26,772 released population examined by ETI based on 2006 data. Only 6% of released offenders have a valid driver's license, and only 8% of adults on probation and parole can legally drive to jobs throughout the metro area.

Technical assistance project for the WOW Workforce Investment Board Inc. and Regional Training Alliance examined the labor market for welders and technical college training programs, and conducted a targeted survey of welder job openings and anticipated needs in Southeast Wisconsin. Student-friendly background materials were also prepared on Learning About the Welding Job Market.

A two-year update prepared in collaboration with the NAACP Milwaukee Branch identified companies increasing their apprenticeship training for African Americans. Since the Report Card on Minority and Female Participation in Construction Trade Apprentices in the Milwaukee Area: Who's in the Pipeline for Skilled Construction Trades was prepared 2 years ago, 85 companies have increased their numbers of African American apprentices. The NAACP has issued a series of recommendations.

This technical assistance model, developed with funding from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, uses large institutional databases (including the state wage match file, driver's license records, state corrections files, and TANF computer records) to identify employment-related barriers, target employment interventions, and increase post-program performance. High volume urban TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and WIA (Workforce Investment Act) providers will benefit most from this data-driven model which can also be implemented at a state level to assist smaller WIA service areas and to enhance post-program outcomes statewide.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board has launched a series on "No License: A Roadblock to Work" with recommendations addressing the large number of Milwaukee County workers with suspended and revoked driver's licenses for failure to pay municipal fines.

An estimated 40% of African American men ages 25-29 living in Milwaukee County have done time in state correctional facilities, according to an analysis of the Department of Correction (DOC) records. This report, prepared for Legal Action of Wisconsin and the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County, examines the legal and employment needs of the 26,772 adults who have been released from DOC facilities and the 10,308 adults currently serving time as of June 2006, including lack of driver's licenses and low educational levels. Recommendations are provided.

This paper identifies fields where targeted training for youth offers opportunities for career building, long-term employment, and family-sustaining jobs to assist the Private Industry Council and the new Department of Labor Job Corps Center opening in Milwaukee. The driver's license issue is also discussed as a critical employment competency.

Training needs are identified for high demand occupations served by Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County. Six occupational areas are examined: health care workers, manufacturing openings, computer specialists, selected service occupations, clerking and administrative support jobs, and jobs requiring a valid driver's license or commercial driver's license. (2006)

An emerging occupation in health industries requires workers with "hybrid skills," including a mix of clerical, computer, communication and interpersonal skills combined with an understanding of medical procedures and terminology.

Report cards are provided for 475 Milwaukee area companies with 1,500 construction trade apprentices, working with 14 Milwaukee and Waukesha area joint apprenticeship committees (JACs), one statewide committee, and one non-union program. Milwaukee companies are currently preparing 11 white apprentices for every 1 African American apprentice entering the skilled trades, and preparing 14 whites for every 1 Hispanic apprentice entering the skilled trades. The study was prepared jointly with the NAACP Milwaukee Branch, who developed a series of recommendations for improving access of minorities to the skilled trades.

Worksite analysis and maps using Census 2000 place-of-work data only recently made available show where white, African American and Latino workers are employed. These data files (the Census Transportation Planning Package, CTPP2000) allow a first-time examination of census place-of-work data from the perspective of central city neighborhoods and racial/ethnic groups. Similar data tables are available from the Employment and Training Institute's interactive drilldown website.

A first-time analysis of drivers license status of Wisconsin adults by race/ethnicity, sex, and geography finds that 78% of young African American men (ages 18-24) and 66% of young African American women in Wisconsin do not have a valid drivers license. Over half (57%) of young Hispanic men and 63% of young Hispanic women also do not have valid licenses. A large number of licensed drivers have had their licenses suspended or revoked, many for failure to pay fines and forfeitures rather than for traffic points violations. License files show 89,489 Milwaukee County adults and 237,434 adults in the balance of the state with recent license suspensions or revocations.

Analysis of the pool of licensed nurses and public school teachers in Wisconsin shows fewer women seeking out these occupations, the aging of both populations, and increasing numbers of retirees (teachers at age 55 or shortly thereafter, and nurses leaving the profession before retirement age). The small number of African Americans and Hispanics entering the nursing profession raises concerns about the future stability of this critical workforce.

This report, also available in HTML format, identifies demographic trends that will affect the availability of labor for Milwaukee area companies in the next decade. Metro Milwaukee has the youngest African American population among the 100 largest metro areas and the 9th youngest Latino population. Minorities will constitute a growing portion of the labor force as the older white population shows substantial baby boomer retirements.

Job vacancy studies detail job titles, rate of pay, education and training required, jobsite location and whether the job is considered difficult to fill for full-time and part-time openings in the seven-county Milwaukee Region. Surveys have been conducted since May 1993. Milwaukee was the first major city in the nation to regularly study job openings to assess jobs available and skill needs. The Milwaukee surveys were adopted as a national model by the U.S. Congress, and the Milwaukee approach is used by at least 15 states, major metro areas, and urban and rural counties. A manual on how to survey job vacancies in local labor markets is available online.

The report uses state driver's license, suspension and revocation files to assess the impact of legislation which allowed municipal and circuit courts to place driver's license suspensions on juveniles who fail to pay juvenile fines.

This report examines employment patterns of private companies in the Milwaukee metropolitan area with 100 or more employees for the four period from 1992-1996. Analysis focuses on net job growth by racial/ethnic category, gender, occupational grouping and industrial sector.

This paper examines driver's license records, suspensions and revocations and analyzes the impact of using driver's license suspensions as a method of collecting unpaid fines and forfeitures. Patterns of license suspensions are analyzed for AFDC cases, central city teens and adults in Milwaukee County.

This study examines receipt of child care subsidies by AFDC and other low-income families over a 21-month period, explores barriers to utilization, and analyzes numbers of child care providers earning over and under $12,000 a year in subsidies.

This report shows the earnings of 7,502 families leaving AFDC and presents a methodology for reporting timely data on "W-2" outcomes using existing state data on employment and earnings.

This study examines 42,120 jobs held by single parents on AFDC and provides baseline data which can be used to measure any improvement in job retention and employment success under "W-2."

This report provides data on occupational shifts in the available Milwaukee area labor force (1980-1990), labor force availability by industry, educational background of the Milwaukee area labor force, employment by location for women and minorities, minority employment patterns by industrial sector, and analysis of employers' minority employment levels.

This report analyzes 36,005 jobs held by 7,456 Wisconsin young African American men and 5,863 Milwaukee males teens whose families had contact with the welfare system in 1987, 1988 or 1989. Perspectives on the findings are provided by Dr. Harold M. Rose (Professor of Geography and Urban Studies) and Ronald S. Edari (Associate Professor of Sociology).