Projections
Overview
The Projections Unit of the Office of Economic Advisors develops long-term employment outlooks for Wisconsin's industries and occupations. Employment estimates and projections are designed to reflect all jobs in the labor market, including positions in nonprofits, non-covered employment, the self-employed, and unpaid family workers. Most historical employment data used in the system comes from BLS data series. The primary source for covered employment is the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). For non-covered employment, data is drawn from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) and the American Community Survey (ACS). The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program is a key source for occupational projections. Employment trends are analyzed across approximately 250 industries and 800 occupations. Long-term projections look ten years into the future and are updated every two years.
Projections are produced for both Wisconsin statewide and its Workforce Development Areas (WDAs).
These projections support long-term planning for a variety of users:
- Students, job seekers, and career counselors can explore employment trends by industry and occupation.
- Educational institutions may use the data to evaluate degree and course offerings.
- Researchers can apply the projections to analyze Wisconsin's labor market.
- Employers may consult the data to assess future employment patterns in their industries.
In addition, students planning their education, workers seeking retraining opportunities, and educational administrators developing new training programs all rely on occupational projections to support informed decision-making.
Visit Understanding Wisconsin's Job Outlook: Industry & Occupation Projections in Brief 2022-2032 (pdf) for an overview of the current long-term projections.
Projections Portal
Projections of occupational employment growth are developed for all states and the nation. One of the most important uses of the projections is to help individuals make informed career decisions. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states. It also allows projected employment growth among occupations to be compared within one state.
Contact
Maria Casal, PhD
(608) 733-3859
Franklin Otis
(608) 405-4066
BWITS acknowledges Nic Hill's significant contributions to the Projections program (2022-2025). His dedication to workforce data trends and innovative process improvements has created a lasting impact and long-term efficiencies that will be recognized for years to come.
Data Used to Create Projections
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Current Employment Statistics (CES)
- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW)
- Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Current Population Survey (CPS)
- BLS Employment Projections
