A Model for a Statewide System for Community Occupational Needs Assessment.

There is an obvious need for a valid, realistic model for research on the occupational needs of the community for relevant time periods to provide planners with quantified data on which to base decisions. The purpose of this study is to develop a statewide system to: (1) identify job needs at the local community level, and (2) relate job needs to training programs in the educational system. The assessment of both urban and rural community needs is difficult to derive. This model focuses on the local community, and that community's educational training system, as opposed to many other models which focus on the state or national level. Basic data sources that appear most useful in occupational needs assessments are Florida Department of Commerce quarterly employment reports, Bureau of Labor Statistics labor market trends, local Florida State Employment Service offices Job Bank data, and the U.S. Labor Department Manpower Administration forecasting documentation. This model is of interest not only to educators and manpower specialists, but also to any planner who is concerned either with the supply of trained persons or demand for training services. (Author/AH)