team

• Director, Oregon Longitudinal Data Collaborative - Higher Education Coordinating Commission

• Business Analyst, Oregon Longitudinal Data Collaborative - Higher Education Coordinating Commission

• Research Analyst, Oregon Longitudinal Data Collaborative - Higher Education Coordinating Commission

• Office of Research and Data Research Director - Higher Education Coordinating Commission

• Chief Data Officer - Enterprise Information Services

• Labor Market Information Director - Oregon Employment Department

• Performance Reporting Information System Coordinator - Oregon Employment Department

the problem

Oregon is relatively young in its performance management and cross-agency data collaboration efforts. In 2019, Oregon launched the statewide longitudinal data system (SLDS), which produced its first reports in 2021. Oregon’s Longitudinal Data Collaborative (OLDC) utilized SLDS data to produce its 2021-2022 research agenda, which evaluated educational programs, workforce attainment, and attraction and retention of graduates in the workforce.

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, Oregon developed a research brief to disseminate to state policymakers and impacted parties. In particular, Oregon’s research focused on the healthcare industry, a priority highlighted in Governor Kate Brown’s new $200 million workforce spending plan proposal. The research brief mapped how post-secondary education offerings addressed workforce gaps across the state, and provided recommendations for improving educational pathways to the healthcare industry. 

team

• State Data Coordinator, Government Operations and Technology Services

the problem

Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the country. As out-of-state tech companies relocate to Utah’s emerging Silicon Slopes, bringing many high-wage, high-skilled jobs, the skills gap for IT jobs continues to widen as emerging technologies rapidly outpace worker skills. 

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, Utah developed a playbook that outlines how to scrape IT job descriptions from major local companies’ websites to identify the most in-demand, real-time software skills needed to best align Utah’s rapidly changing workforce and employer needs.

team

• UX Researcher, California Office of Digital Innovation

• Data Strategist, California Office of Digital Innovation

• Deputy Director, Communications and Insights, California Office of Digital Innovation

• Insights Product Lead, California Office of Digital Innovation

the problem

California has the largest population of people experiencing houselessness in the country, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the crisis. Created in 2018, the California Office of Digital Innovation (ODI) was tasked with utilizing third-party data to capture renters’ and landlords’ experiences and get a better understanding of the housing crisis in the state. In doing so, they identified an opportunity to not simply rely on third-party data but to cultivate a culture of leveraging first-party data generated from internal touchpoints. 

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, California developed a pitch deck to help launch "first-party" data projects with key agencies internally. Ultimately, the team wants to help other agencies leverage the data they have immediate access to through their existing touchpoints to create more responsive services. 

team

• Lead Analyst, Department of Housing

• Program Performance Analyst, Department of Housing

• Director, Department of Housing

• Data Analyst, Governor’s Office of Operations

• Operations Advisor, Governor’s Office of Operations

• CDO, Office of Information Technology

• Operations Advisor, Governor’s Office of Operations

• Program Analyst, Department of Local Affairs

• Director of Data Integration & Analytics, Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab

the problem

The Division of Housing funds rental assistance for nearly 1,200 permanent supportive housing units throughout the state. Despite the effectiveness and permanent nature of this assistance, there is a small but significant number of participants who exit the program. There was little data on why individuals exited the program and what their outcomes were post-exit.

Additionally, there are direct links between the zip code in which an individual lives and their health, life expectancy, and economic mobility. Colorado also aims to understand the economic cost of situating affordable housing projects in zip codes with lower opportunity scores, defined as areas with lower employment, health, and educational outcomes. 

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, Colorado participants developed a presentation document and project scope for their leadership team that outlines a plan for collecting, standardizing, and merging data related to zoning, affordable housing site selection, and supportive housing exit outcomes.

team

• Data Analyst, Central Management Services

• Data Analytics Manager, Central Management Services

• Chief of Staff, Central Management Services

• Deputy Director of Project Management, Central Management Services

• Compliance Manager, Central Management Services

• Director of Budgeting for Results, Governor's Office of Management and Budget

the problem

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the challenges that small and/or minority-owned businesses face in Illinois. Introduced in 2021, Senate Bill 1608 restructured how the state oversaw minority procurement by creating a new agency and council to oversee the process. 

To understand minority procurement, data is required from numerous fragmented agencies and extensive manual cleaning is necessary to transform the raw data into a usable form. These issues make it extremely difficult to identify areas for improvement and communicate minority procurement goals to the public and legislature.

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, Illinois developed a data governance strategy for cleaning and contextualizing datasets, and designed an initial concept of a dashboard that explains the data and invites questions for future analysis.

team

• Executive Director, Idaho Workforce Development Council

• Program Manager, Workforce Services Division, Idaho Department of Labor 

• Executive Director, Workforce Development Council

• Deputy Director, Idaho Department of Labor

• One-Stop Operator, Idaho Department of Labor

• Administrator, Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Administrator, Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

• Deputy Administrator of Welfare, Idaho Division of Health & Welfare

• Director of Program Services, Idaho Division of Career Technical Education

• Program Specialist, Idaho Commission on Aging – Senior Community Service Employment Program

• Employment + Training Director, Community Council of Idaho

• Program Supervisor, Idaho Commission for Libraries

the problem

Idaho has a large geographic footprint and a small population, resulting in limited federal funding to support its workforce system. The cost of delivering services is high due to the rurality and remoteness of the individuals who need the most support. 

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, Idaho developed a presentation to leadership proposing a data system and common application form to seamlessly enable co-enrollment for multiple safety net benefits. 

Based on the Mississippi Common Intake Form and Data Hub, this project leverages an integrated data system (IDS) to consolidate case management data and support Idaho’s workforce system. The IDS will not only help agency employees make more comprehensive referrals and connect people to the benefits they need, but it will also help streamline the process for eligible people seeking support, ensuring they have access to the programs and benefits available to them.

team

• Director, Ohio Office of Budget and Management

• Assistant Director, Ohio Office of Budgement and Management

• Fiscal Research Supervisor, Ohio Office of Budget and Management

• Fiscal Research Analyst, Ohio Office of Budget and Management

• Deputy Director, InnovateOhio Platform, Office of Information Technology, Ohio Department of Administrative Services

• Engagement Lead, Data Analytics, Office of Information Technology, Ohio Department of Administrative Services

• Assistant Policy Director, Ohio Governor’s Office

• Deputy Director, Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation

• Director, Project Management, Ohio Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation

the problem

Ohio’s unemployment rate increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, rising from 4.5 to 16.4 percent in April 2020. Ohio sought to measure the return on investment (ROI) of its workforce programs in order to diversify the labor force into the agile, resilient workforce of tomorrow by providing in-demand, quality jobs to the state and training workers to meet the needs of employers.

the APPROACH

By working with the Data Labs program, Ohio created a taxonomy for classifying workforce programs and a project plan for developing a comprehensive inventory of workforce programs being offered by the state. This will set the stage for more meaningful analysis on program ROI.

team

• Program Performance, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Project Manager and Business Analyst, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Division of Employment and Training Administrator, Executive Sponsor, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Chief Evaluation Officer, Workforce Data Integration System, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Data Integration Governance Manager; Chief/Enterprise Data Steward, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Policy & Communications Manager and Director, Worker Connection Program, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Research Analyst - Advanced, Worker Connection Program, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Principal Investigator, Worker Connection Program

• Coordinator, Worker Connection Program , Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Career Navigator Supervisor, Worker Connection Program, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Program Specialist, Worker Connection Program, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

the problem

In Wisconsin, there are numerous unfilled job vacancies resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as job seekers struggling to find a good match for employment. In addition to supporting job seekers through the Worker Connection Program, Wisconsin sought to track and measure the progress and success of this program.

the solution

By working with the Data Labs program, Wisconsin developed an evaluation plan to measure the efficacy of the Worker Connection Program, a new statewide initiative which utilizes actionable data products to address unfilled job vacancies in communities and the difficulty in finding good job matches.