Gordon Announces New Workforce Dashboard
Governor Mark Gordon announced in a press release that they have launched a new dashboard that provides tools for job seekers, businesses and educators.
The dashboard, called the Business Occupational Outlook Tool Sets, or BOOTS, purports to provide users an understanding of what jobs are available in Wyoming with SkillsMatch, what education exists for people in the state with something called Career Coah, and job and employment statistics through the Emsi Employment Dashboard.
Gordon said:
"This is an incredibly important tool to help Wyoming people both find jobs and find new opportunities. It addresses some of the challenges Wyoming workers and employers face by connecting them in a common forum," Gordon said. "The ultimate goal is to get information about new and emerging employment and enterprise opportunities in the hands of those seeking to advance their careers, or grow and expand their businesses."
According to the BOOTS website, the program is coordinated with the Wyoming Innovation Partnership, which is using $27 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan to "support the state’s overall economic vision set forth by the Wyoming Business Council and support education attainment goals developed by the state."
Dr. Sandy Caldwell, Executive Director of the Wyoming Community College Commission, said:
"It provides the opportunity to match education pathways, which is a focus of post-secondary education and a fundamental building block of the Wyoming Innovation Partnership," Caldwell said. "Under Governor Gordon’s leadership, these efforts have resulted in this much-needed tool to connect community colleges and UW students with programs that lead to immediate and future careers right here in Wyoming."
The origins of the project date back to 2019, when Gordon's office was awarded $100,000 in grant funding and technical assistance from the National Governors Association in partnership with the Strada Education Network, along with Louisiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Gordon’s office included representatives from Laramie County Community College, University of Wyoming, Wyoming Community College Commission, Wyoming Department of Education, Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, and Wyoming Business Council, resulting in the successful development of the new tool.