Collaborative public-private partnership to develop real-time, interactive tools for job seekers, employers, and states
WASHINGTON – The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) announced a recently signed Data Trust Agreement with DirectEmployers Association to increase access to real-time labor market information through the National Labor Exchange Research Hub.
The Agreement creates the governance framework for state labor market analysts, scholarly researchers, employers, and the public to request access to the 2.4 million real-time and 120 million “historical” job postings collected through the National Labor Exchange (NLx).
The NLx collects and distributes job openings found on corporate career sites and state job banks and has been a vital resource to state workforce agencies and the broader public workforce system for over a decade. In those years, the NLx compiled millions of job postings representing a wealth of information for researchers predicting the “future of work,” and for those helping jobseekers and employers navigate that future.
“The real-time labor market information collected from NLx job openings will help jobseekers and learners plan their careers, support employers’ recruitment activities, and inform state workforce development investments,” said Scott B. Sanders, NASWA Executive Director. “We’re excited to explore research insights and opportunities while providing valuable data back to the public workforce system.”
“NLx data holds great potential for jobseekers and the workforce community,” said Mike Ellsworth, program director of CareerOneStop, a national career and training resource sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. “Analytics data derived from NLx job postings can be integrated with new job search and career information tools to assist job seekers during this critical time of historically high unemployment.”
The NLx Research Hub intends to make real-time labor market information a public utility for the first time, broadening opportunities for research, product development, and analytics tooling. Several state agencies have expressed interest in exploring integrations between the NLx data and traditional labor market information sources.
“The emerging economy will require employers to make even more decisions about the skills needed for their jobs, whether jobs can be done remotely, and how to attract diverse candidates,” said Candee Chambers, Executive Director of DirectEmployers. “The NLx Research Hub can provide insights to help employers and jobseekers prepare for work of the future.”
On July 1 and 2, the NLx Research Hub will participate in a virtual Public Expo hosted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to showcase projects during selection for its Phase II Convergence Accelerator grants.
The preliminary work on the NLx Research Hub was made possible through one of the first Convergence Accelerator (C-Accel) grants by the NSF, in collaboration with DirectEmployers, the LMI Institute housed within the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness, BrightHive, the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, and SRI International.
About the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA)
NASWA is the organization representing all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C., and the U.S. territories. These agencies deliver training, employment, career, and business services, in addition to administering the unemployment insurance, veteran reemployment, and labor market information programs. NASWA provides policy expertise, shares promising state practices, and promotes state innovation and leadership in workforce development.
About DirectEmployers
DirectEmployers is a nonprofit member-owned and –managed association focused on providing its 900+ members with simple solutions for OFCCP compliance and online recruitment challenges. The Association’s proprietary technology powers a federal contractor compliance solution that assists with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program’s (OFCCP) VEVRAA mandatory listing requirements and Section 503 outreach requirements, while also offering recruitment marketing and creative services that help win the best candidates with a combination of vivid recruitment videos, real-life photos, and bold branding through its wholly owned subsidiary, Recruit Rooster.
Press Contact: Jaime Costilow, DirectEmployers Association, (317) 874-9093, jaime@directemployers.org
