Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate is a measure that compares the number of unemployed individuals in a county, compared to that county’s total population of workforce age. The higher the percentage, the higher the proportion of unemployed among the county’s population. The data reported on the site are for 2013.

 

Workforce Demand/Unemployment Saturation

The supply/demand ratio reported by VEC measures by county the number of unemployed residents against the number of advertised jobs in the area. A value of less than one indicates that there are more jobs advertised than number of unemployed; conversely, a value of more than one means that the number of unemployed individuals exceeds the number of jobs advertised. A value of 12, for example, means that there are twelve unemployed individuals for every advertised position. The figures reported on the site are for the 2013.

 

Credential Counts by County

These data reported by VEC capture the number of times an online search returned a job description advertising for a specific license or certification. The numbers represent a count for a single day only; this is a limitation set by a lack of historical data for discrete positions advertised. Looking ahead, compiling an unduplicated count over time will assist in determining a better picture for overall certification demand.

 

The Marketability of Certification and Licensure

Assumption that providing a community with the resources to obtain certifications or licensure will reduce unemployment in the area.

Also, defining the certification demand for an area will increase the marketability of job applicants and address the potential skill gaps identified in job advertisements.

 

Value of Compiled Data

Individual searches across multiple screens, by county: this product compiles unemployment, saturation, and certifications tied to job postings in a single visual display