Oregon Talent Assessment

Employers and civic leaders often question the alignment of employer needs and skills present in the labor market. ECONorthwest and Program and Policy Insight (PPI) addressed these questions for the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) and Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board (WTDB) in 2018 and 2022 studies of in-demand occupations, skills, talent, gaps, and trends in Oregon from the perspective of business and industry. A 2020 study provided an interim update report. The Oregon Talent Assessments provide common data and language as employers, educators, and workforce intermediaries seek to strengthen workforce planning across the state. Specifically, the reports highlight three categories of skill problems (gaps, shortages, and mismatches), review effects of the pandemic and how technology could shape work in coming years, and share the results of interviews, focus groups, and online surveys of stakeholders. The initial report and related analysis contributed to the development of an education and training goal for Oregon’s adult, working-age population. ECONorthwest also assisted the WTDB and HECC in planning and carrying out Oregon Talent Summits in 2018 and 2020, events that bring together and foster connections between leaders from business, workforce and talent development, higher education, and K-12 education.