Redefining the M7 and

NE Illinois Workforce:
A comprehensive analysis of occupational competencies

September 2009
 

Contents
Executive Summary  1
Glossary of Terms 2 Acknowledgements
Introduction 3 The following are the primary researchers
and authors of this report:
Background 5 Hamilton Galloway, Economist and Consulting
Contents  5 Manager, Economic Modeling Specialists Inc.
Methodology Overview 6
Selecting the Right Industries and Occupations 6 Ed Morrison, Director, Institute for Open Economic
Media Coverage and Current Occupation Demand 9 Networks
Using O*NET to Determine Competencies 10
Linda Fowler, Principal/Owner, Regionerate
Understanding KSAs 10
Assessing Competencies 11 Other contributing authors include the following
Making the KSA Analysis Usable 11 individuals:

Research Results 13 Brian Points, Consultant, Economic Modeling

Interpreting the Graphs 13 Specialists Inc.
Key KSAs for Production Occupations 14 Josh Wright, Marketing, Economic Modeling Spe-
Company Feedback Results 20 cialists Inc.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing 20
Plastics Manufacturing 20 Jared Miller, Data Analyst/Technical Writer, Eco-
Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing 20 nomic Modeling Specialists Inc.
Consumer Services (Green Potential) 21
Consumer Services, Other 21
David Beauchamp, Data Analyst, Economic Model-
Education 21
ing Specialists Inc.
Implications and Applications 22 David Dalbey, Design, Economic Modeling Special-
Implications for Primary and Secondary Educators 22 ists Inc.
Implications for Post-Secondary Educators 23
Implications for Employers 23 We would like to thank those individuals who
Implications for Workforce Development 23 helped us further shape our research and study in
Potential Implementation Strategies 24 order to provide a comprehensive analysis of the
competencies within the Milwaukee 7 and North-
Conclusions 25 eastern Illinois Region.
Appendix A: Focus Industry Groups and Focus Occupations Summary 26
Patricia Adrian: Regional Workforce Alliance
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions 30
Appendix C: Scores and Scale Anchors for Top Fifteen KSAs 37 Michael Mortell: Regional Workforce Alliance
Appendix D: Top Occupations with Transferable KSAs 40
Appendix E: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing 42 Elizabeth Falk: Wisconsin Department of Workforce
Appendix F: Plastic Manufacturing 45 Development
Appendix G: Industrial Machinery Manufacturing 49
Appendix H: Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing 52
Appendix I: Financial Services 56
Appendix J: Business Services 59
Appendix K: Consumer Services (Green Potential) 62
Appendix L: Other Consumer Services 65
Appendix M: K-12 Education 68
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation 70

2
Executive Summary

Executive Summary
The purpose of this study is threefold. First, it seeks to further develop a methodology pioneered by the Regional Work-
force Alliance (RWA) to identify “core” competencies within the Milwaukee 7 and Northeast Illinois region. Competen-
cies are composed of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). By “core” competencies, we mean specific knowledge, skills,
and abilities that are shared across key industries and occupations within the region. Second, this study identifies and
executes a process for determining key focus industries and occupations and using them to identify core competencies.
Third, the study explores how a focus on “core” competencies can help us develop clearer career pathways and guides to
career transitions.

To identify core competencies, we selected 44 six-digit industries from the North American Industry Classification
System (NAICS) that serve as good target industries. These results were grouped into the following nine focus industry
groups: Pharmaceutical, Plastics, Industrial Machinery, Electronic Systems, Finance, Business Services, Consumer Ser-
vices (Green Potential), Other Consumer Services, and K-12 Education. Collectively, the groups represent over one tenth
of regional employment and almost one third of projected regional job growth over the next ten years.

Within these industry groups, we next identified 67 target occupations. For simplicity, the main body of this report
shows 26 occupations that contained significant overlap between the industry groups. Industry group breakouts can be
viewed in Appendices E-M. We divided the 26 occupations into production occupations and service occupations because
the competency structure is fundamentally different between production and service occupations; specifically, production
occupations are more technically oriented, while service occupations are more socially oriented.

The top 15 “core” competencies for production occupations are:

• Knowledge: Mechanical, Production and Processing, Mathematics, Education and Training, English Language
• Skills: Learning Strategies, Active Listening, Active Learning, Quality Control and Analysis, Equipment Selection
• Abilities: Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Visualization, Problem Sensitivity, Information Ordering
The top 15 “core” competencies for service occupations are:

• Knowledge: Customer and Personal Service, Clerical, English Language, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics
• Skills: Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Active Learning
• Abilities: Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Written Expression
A handful of competencies were identified as critical for both production and service occupations. The competencies that
appear on both lists are Mathematics, English Language, Active Listening, Active Learning, Oral Comprehension and
Oral Expression. These competencies compose the bedrock of KSAs for workers entering either the production or service
sectors. These competencies should be considered fundamental to the success of workers in all of the industries targeted
in this report.

By connecting core competencies to both industry groups and occupations, we can begin to develop a more sophisticated
understanding of career pathways and career transitions. In the Industrial Age, career guidance was a simple matter; high
school students followed either a college track or a technical track. In today’s world, we need to rethink our approach to
career pathways and mid-career transitions. Career pathways are no longer simple and linear; rather, they resemble com-

1
Executive Summary

plex wiring diagrams in which individuals face many different choices at different times in their careers. Career planning
and career guidance are no longer a single event. They are a continuous process of evaluation and choice.

Funding & Disclaimers:

This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded under Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Devel-
opment (WIRED) as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The
solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of
Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with
respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy
of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This
solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an
individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright
owner.

The study is one of the first to examine a region’s workforce beyond the traditional metrics of educational attainment,
years of experience, and so on. The results will be used to “streamline” future competency analyses as the region continues
to grow, develop, and position itself as a global player.

Glossary of Terms
NAICS: North American Industry Classification System. The standard industry taxonomy used by all federal and state
statistical agencies.

SOC: Standard Occupational Classification. The customary occupational classification system used by all federal and state
statistical agencies.

O*NET SOC: An extension of the SOC system that further specifies particular occupational categories by considering the
specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required for a worker to successful execute his or her job duties.

Competency(ies): Specific categories of knowledge, attributes, and capacities that influence performance of individuals
across all industries and occupations. There are 120 competencies that are broken into a handful of sub-divisions, includ-
ing knowledge, skills, and abilities, or KSAs. Each occupation receives a score that represents the general aptitude of
workers in each of these competency categories.

• Knowledge: A sub-division of the O*NET system that classifies 33 different organized sets of principles and facts.

• Skills: A sub-division of the O*NET system that classifies 35 different developed capacities that facilitate learning.

• Abilities: A sub-division of the O*NET system that classifies 52 different enduring attributes that influence
performance.

Note: There are many KSA titles used in this report that are not immediately understandable. For a detailed description of
the principles associated with each KSA attribute see Appendix B.

2
Introduction

Introduction

In an increasingly competitive global economy, workforce development has become vital for sound regional development.
Recognizing this fact is particularly important for regions that have mature, integrated industry clusters. These regions
often face difficult transitions of moving skilled individuals from mature to emerging businesses.

The concept of fostering a technology-based economy by developing a highly skilled workforce is not new, but often edu-
cation and workforce development professionals struggle to determine what skills and attributes are most needed within
their region. This problem is complicated by a lack of concrete definitions. Certain terms, which are supposed to define
the most important skills for workers, have been used so often and in so many contexts that they are now nearly impos-
sible to measure empirically.

These terms, including “the knowledge economy,” “the information age” and “the creative class,” have been shrouded in
abstract definitions that make them hard to grasp and even harder to assess. As a result, policymakers risk making unin-
formed decisions based on nebulous data. These risks include promoting curricula and degree programs that do not fit
the needs of regional businesses and failing to communicate effectively with companies to find optimal candidates for job
openings.

In this study, EMSI and project partners I-Open and Regionerate (hereinafter “the team”) undertook a new approach to
address this challenge. Not only did we focus on the industries and occupations within the region in order to determine
the most critical demands of the workforce, but we also examined the attributes of workers within the existing workforce.
The team’s efforts expand on the previous work of the Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA), which pioneered this research
by exploring the attributes that are shared within a group of the most critical occupations within the region. The goal
of this project is to enable the Milwaukee 7 region to generate tighter ties among professionals in education, economic
development, workforce development, and the business community.

This new and innovative approach begins by examining the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for key occu-
pations within the regional workforce. Then the KSAs for individually selected occupations are grouped into industry
clusters in order to assess the correlation of KSAs across different occupations within the same clusters. The section on the
final research results gives us a much more detailed account of the attributes of the regional workforce than any previous
analysis.

Traditionally, most people view an occupation as a job type that performs a specific function within a company. However,
the underlying set of competencies—knowledge, skills, and abilities—that are needed to effectively perform a job have
been largely overlooked or misdefined outside of the public sector.1 These competencies define the foundation required by
an occupation beyond educational attainment, degrees, or work experience. It is often the case that ignoring competen-
cies in job recruiting can result in a company’s hiring a less-qualified candidate. For example, Company A may decide
that hiring candidates with a bachelor’s degree is preferable to candidates with an associate’s degree. owever, candidates
with an associate’s degree may have a stronger portfolio of knowledge, skills and abilities (due to the practical focus of
their coursework).

1 The federal government and some state governments have now begun to inquire about specific competencies from job applicants.

3
Introduction

Finding a tight fit between an occupation’s KSAs and an individual’s KSAs is tricky for a number of reasons. First, a
company may not follow a common framework of KSAs. Second, a company may not measure KSAs effectively. Third, a
company may simply be asking the wrong questions in its hiring process. At the same time, professionals in the education
and workforce systems have difficulty designing and delivering curricula if they do not have clear insights into the KSAs
demanded by employers.

The findings of this study have multiple uses. The three major uses considered by the research team are as follows: 1) to
develop a process for future data-driven competency research; 2) to identify in-demand workforce competencies that can
be implemented in education and workforce development curricula; and 3) to shed new light on potential job recruit-
ment improvements that will allow companies to select capable workers more quickly and accurately.

4
Background

Background

As described in RWA’s “Competency Study Report: Quick Hit,”2 all of the committees in the Regional Workforce Alli-
ance met in August 2008 and decided to launch the Competency Study Project. Under the official name of “Competency
Study of Driver Occupations,” the newly created Competency Study Task Force was charged with “…developing a pro-
posal about how to undertake a competency study that examines the ‘demand-side’ environment of Southeastern Wiscon-
sin.” In the ensuing proposal, the task force recommended a two-pronged approach. The first prong, called the Quick Hit
Project, utilized the outcomes of a Milwaukee 7/Deloitte study that had already identified two target industries and six
target occupations. The target industries and occupations provided a good launching point for examining competencies.

In May 2009, RWA contracted with Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. (EMSI) to conduct a more comprehensive
study—the second prong—to evaluate competencies across a larger breadth of industries and occupations. The funds
utilized for the development of this study originated from a Workforce Innovation and Regional Economic Development
(WIRED) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. This study seeks to provide increased scope and analysis to the
work pioneered by RWA and the Competency Study Task Force. Through refining industry and occupation identifica-
tion procedures, as well as refining competency analysis, this study seeks to develop a deeper understanding of in-demand
competencies in the region.

Contents
The main report is intended to summarize the key findings of the team’s research. It makes up a relatively small portion
of the overall report that includes multiple appendices, detailing accounts of the research that the authors conducted. The
appendices are easily accessible for individuals looking for greater detail than what is included in the main report.

The main report condenses the findings to the key KSAs for roughly 26 occupations into two workforce cohorts: produc-
tion and service occupations. For each of these groups we have determined the top five knowledge categories, the top
five skill categories, and the top five ability categories. Tables and graphs that assist in understanding this information are
included in the main report as well.

In the first section, “Methodology Overview,” the main report covers how the industries and occupations were chosen for
the study, what KSAs are and how they were selected for the study, and how to use the KSA analysis. The second section,
“Research Results,” shows how the graphs are to be interpreted, analyzes the differences between the results for produc-
tion and service occupations, supports the study’s results with summaries of feedback from six different local companies,
and makes recommendations for local educators, employers, and workforce development professionals. The recommenda-
tions section, labeled “Implications and Applications,” explores how the research can be used to inform decision making
and develop collaborations.

Appendices E-M exhibit the analysis we completed for each industry group and the subsequent focus occupations.

2 ”Competency Study Report: Quick Hit,” Regional Workforce Alliance, May 22, 2009.

5
Background

Methodology Overview
Selecting the Right Industries and Occupations
In order to identify in-demand competencies, targeted industries and occupations needed to be identified first. To achieve
this, EMSI conducted both industry and staffing pattern research and occupation research. These were undertaken
separately in order to achieve different perspectives regarding the most critical regional drivers. Industry research provided
an indication of potential target industries within the region, which then led to an understanding of key occupations
within the industry. Occupational research revealed which occupations have strong potential, both inside and outside
of the most vital industries. Where significant overlap existed between an industry-driven analysis and an occupation-
driven analysis, the authors identified target occupations. Additional steps were taken after the initial research in order to
ensure that the correct occupations had been selected. Media sources and analysis of online job postings helped to cement
the data-driven findings, and an industry feedback survey provided further support for the findings of this study. Other
research involved evaluating historical occupation information to determine specific trends. For example, historical wage
trends in the region indicate that earnings have declined slightly since 2002. Figure a shows the overall real wage trends
across several occupation groups have declined. In 2008, about 60 percent of the region’s jobs earned less than the average
earnings. In terms of relevancy for this report, the development of a competency-based career pathway approach could
improve the earnings potential of several lower-wage earners and those who have experienced a real decrease in wages over
the past several years.

Figure a - Real Wage Changes from 2002-2008 by Occupational Sector

-$7.00 -$6.00 -$5.00 -$4.00 -$3.00 -$2.00 -$1.00 $0.00 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00

Management
Healthcare Practitioner and Technical
Protective Service
Life Physical and Social Science
Education Training and Library
Arts Design Entertainment Sports and Media
Community and Social Services
Business and Financial
Occupational Categories

Construction and Extraction

Architecture and Engineering
Computer and Mathematical
Total
Installation Maintenance and Repair
Office and Administrative Support
Sales and Related
Personal Care and Service
Transportation and Material Moving
Healthcare Support
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
Production
Farming, Fishing & Forestry
Food Preparation and Serving Related
Legal

6
Background

The data-driven approach evaluated historical information (2001-February 2009) and projected data (2009-2019) for
industries and occupations. Historical information provided a strong foundation of industry and occupation trends, and
projections provided a good basis for identifying future occupational demand and subsequently, competency demand.

The industry groups identified are shown in Table 1, along with their projected 2009-2019 job change and average annual
industry earnings per worker. Detailed industry groups (NAICS code) and occupations (SOC code) can be found in
Appendix A. Taken as a whole, the industry groups represent over one tenth of current regional employment and almost
one third of regional job growth over the next ten years.

Table 1:  Targeted Industry Groups

2009-19 % Change
Industry Group 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Annual EPW
Change 2009-19

Pharmaceutical 16,536 14,979 16,487 1,508 10% $ 164,913

Plastics 14,484 14,805 16,771 1,966 13% $ 64,618

Industrial Machinery 6,646 9,162 11,209 2,047 22% $ 82,125

Electronic Systems 12,103 12,873 16,065 3,192 25% $ 90,537

Finance 22,944 24,871 26,303 3,424 16% $ 64,599

Business Services 34,653 56,584 68,616 16,389 41% $ 87,307

Consumer Services (Green 29,924 33,495 39,517 6,022 18% $ 26,660

Potential)

Other Consumer Services 19,518 27,258 34,762 7,504 28% $ 23,040

K-12 Education 10,291 12,843 14,647 1,804 14% $ 26,492

Total 167,099 187,057 230,913 43,856 23% $ 64,691

From the industry selection and occupation analyses, target occupations by industry group—67 in all—were identified.3
For simplification of this report, key occupations that contained significant inter-industry overlap were selected from the
list and reported. A total of 26 key occupations were selected and are presented in Table 2. Target occupations by industry
group can be found in Appendices E-M

3 A complete list of target occupations by industry group can be found in Appendix A.

7
Background

Table 2:  Targeted Occupations

New
2001 2009 2019
SOC Code Description Change & Rep. Education Level
Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs

Production Occupations

17-2141 Mechanical engineers 4,072 3,560 3,577 17 789 Bachelor's degree

Sales representatives, wholesale and Moderate-term on-
41-4011 manufacturing, technical and scientific 8,221 8,527 9,091 564 2,446 the-job training
products
Sales representatives, wholesale and Moderate-term on-
41-4012 manufacturing, except technical and 23,320 22,438 22,613 175 5,127 the-job training
scientific products

51-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of pro- Work experience in a

12,103 10,148 9,912 (236) 1,952
duction and operating workers related field
Moderate-term on-
49-9042 Maintenance and repair workers, general 13,904 14,340 15,471 1,131 1,484 the-job training
Moderate-term on-
51-2092 Team assemblers 22,680 19,884 20,233 349 4,480 the-job training

51-4011 Computer-controlled machine tool Moderate-term on-

5,407 4,906 5,175 269 1,001
operators, metal and plastic the-job training

Long-term on-the-job
51-4041 Machinists 11,594 10,259 10,362 103 2,010 training
Long-term on-the-job
51-4121 Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers 5,617 5,194 5,417 223 1,323 training

51-9061 Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and 15,033 Moderate-term on-

9,438 8,804 (634) 1,429
weighers the-job training

51-9111 Packaging and filling machine operators Short-term on-the-job

5,400 4,595 4,377 (218) 885
and tenders training
Short-term on-the-job
53-7051 Industrial truck and tractor operators 8,464 6,918 6,631 (287) 1,598 training
Short-term on-the-job
53-7064 Packers and packagers, hand 13,884 11,297 9,990 (1,307) 1,475 training

Service Occupations

Degree plus work

11-3031 Financial managers 6,409 5,939 6,507 568 1,432 experience

25-2021 Elementary school teachers, except spe- 17,664 17,576 19,143 1,567 5,404 Bachelor's degree
cial education

25-2031 Secondary school teachers, except special 10,004 10,598 10,730 132 3,288 Bachelor's degree
and vocational education
Short-term on-the-job
25-9041 Teacher assistants 11,503 13,304 14,283 979 3,146 training

Total 330,917 323,395 344,721 21,326 85,161

8
Background

Table 2:  Targeted Occupations

New
2001 2009 2019
SOC Code Description Change & Rep. Education Level
Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs
Short-term on-the-job
31-1011 Home health aides 7,322 8,942 11,740 2,798 3,598 training

37-2011 Janitors and cleaners, except maids and Short-term on-the-job

25,044 25,463 27,519 2,056 6,931
housekeeping cleaners training

37-3011 Landscaping and groundskeeping Short-term on-the-job

12,378 15,147 18,367 3,220 5,219
workers training
Short-term on-the-job
39-9021 Personal and home care aides 6,365 8,864 10,829 1,965 3,467 training

43-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of office Work experience in a

13,564 12,917 13,139 222 2,888
and administrative support workers related field

43-3031 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing Moderate-term on-

20,011 21,826 23,644 1,818 5,233
clerks the-job training
Moderate-term on-
43-4051 Customer service representatives 26,460 25,452 30,014 4,562 11,649 the-job training

43-6011 Executive secretaries and administrative Moderate-term on-

17,029 19,312 21,406 2,094 5,169
assistants the-job training

Total 330,917 323,395 344,721 21,326 85,161

When aggregated across all industries, the identified occupations represent roughly one fifth of the regional jobs, almost
one fifth of regional job growth, and over 85,000 new and replacement jobs in the next 10 years.4

A full description of the steps taken to determine target industries and occupations can be found in a separate addendum
report: “Competency Report Process Development.” For a detailed list of the individual industries and occupations that
the authors identified, see Appendix B. Appendix C provides a list of benchmark measures for interpreting competency
levels. For the detailed industry focus group and target occupation analysis, see Appendices E-M.

Media Coverage and Current Occupation Demand

In order to further understand and support the competency findings, the team queried current job openings in the
region. The query involves a tool developed by Economic Modeling Specialists Inc. called Job Finder, which links SOC
codes to current job openings posted through Indeed.com. Results of the query show current demand for the occupations
listed in the report. All the occupations identified across the focus industries are shown in Appendix O. Additionally, a
shortened list of companies that are hiring for the positions is provided. The reader should note that the current demand
does not necessarily reflect long-term demand for occupations and should not be viewed as such. This analysis is a “snap-
shot” of some of the current workforce needs.

Other media coverage of industry and occupation growth in the region was found primarily in the Business Journal of
Milwaukee. Recent headlines such as “Chase Bank Hiring 200 in Milwaukee”; “U.S. Cellular Hiring 100 in Waukesha”;
and “Cambridge Major Laboratories to Dedicate Bigger Manufacturing Plant” support the findings found in the data.
Though areas of the regional economy are still in the process of recovery, other areas are projected to add more jobs to the
4 Please note that the occupation employment data in Table 2 is reported for all industries in the region and not just the focus industries. The
projected change for these occupations within the focus industries will not necessarily match the projected overall change. In other words, there are some
occupations that are declining overall but are projected to add workers within the focus industries and likewise there are some occupations that are pro-
jected to add employment overall but are projected to loose workers within the focus industries.

9
Background

economy. An article entitled “Manpower: Milwaukee-Area Hiring to Pick Up” indicates that industry sectors expected to
add employees include the following: financial, financial activities, and professional and business services.

Using O*NET to Determine Competencies

In 1998, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration created the Occupational Informa-
tion Network, or O*NET, which quantifies the competencies required by various occupations. There are three types
of competencies in the O*NET database: knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). The group of knowledge competen-
cies contains 33 separate sub-categories, each of which comprises an “organized set of principles and facts”5 that can be
applied in numerous ways by different individuals in different occupations. For instance, the knowledge category includes
components such as Engineering, Management, and Geography. The group of skill competencies contains 35 separate
sub-categories, which are “developed capacities that facilitate learning,” including basic skills, social skills, and techni-
cal skills. For instance, the skills category encompasses competencies such as Reading Comprehension, Active Listening,
and Quality Control Analysis. The group of ability competencies contains 52 sub-categories, all of which are “enduring
attributes…that influence performance.” Of the sub-headings within the abilities category, EMSI utilized only cognitive
abilities and physical abilities in this study because a number of the other ability categories refer to attributes that are not
easily trainable or correctable. For instance, the abilities category includes competencies such as Visualization, Deductive
Reasoning, and Trunk Strength.

The central goal of utilizing O*NET data is to identify key competencies that are in demand among the overall workforce
in the Milwaukee Seven (M7) and Northeastern Illinois region. There are 120 KSA competencies, a complete list of which
can be viewed in Appendix B.

Setting the Stage for Competency Analysis

Understanding KSAs
Understanding the three KSA types and their function in describing an occupation can be difficult. To put context
around them, the Frisbee-catching dog analogy used in RWA’s “Quick Hit” report is helpful:

“The ability components (and requirements) to perform this activity would relate to leg strength, leg length, periph-
eral vision, ability to jump and so on. Skill components would be how high to jump, when to jump and when to
catch the Frisbee. Knowledge components would include teaching the dog that a Frisbee is an item to chase, retrieve
and bring back to the master/owner/pet steward. Combining KSAs gets one to the notion of competency – how
well one can perform a task.”6

The KSA structure is different for each occupation. Some occupations excel in multiple competency categories, and some
occupations excel in just a few competency categories; but all workers should have just the right blend of knowledge,
skills, and abilities to perform their occupational duties. O*NET has a built-in scale for determining the level of any
competency value in verbal terms. All competencies with a level score under 25 are labeled “Basic.” Those with a score
between 25 and 49 are considered “Intermediate,” and those with a score above 50 are thought to be “Advanced.”7 Appen-
dix C provides benchmark descriptions for KSA values. These values are further described in O*NET (http://online.
onetcenter.org/) custom reports.

Another analogy that is helpful in understanding KSA attributes comes in viewing KSAs as “ingredients” that when
compiled together define the flavor, or key characteristics, of each occupation. Many occupations, especially those within

5 http://www.onetcenter.org/content.html
6 “Competency Study Report: Quick Hit,” Regional Workforce Alliance, May 22, 2009.
7 It should be noted that the criteria for measuring competencies are not valued equally across all KSAs. Most occupations have higher ability
scores than knowledge or skill scores. It is safe to make comparisons within each competency category, (e.g., comparing a knowledge score to another
knowledge score) but one should not compare values between knowledge, skills, and abilities (e.g., comparing a knowledge score to an ability score.)

10
Background

the same profession, share similar ingredients with only a few differences. In these cases, it is easy to pinpoint occupations
that are highly “compatible” with other occupations. Identifying these compatibilities is useful because high compatibility
scores provide options for career pathway movement into different occupations either in the same industry or in a dif-
ferent industry. In this research project, EMSI used a proprietary “compatibility index” that is rooted in O*NET data to
determine career pathway potential. In some cases, compatibility is fairly easy to identify, but in other cases it is not. For
instance, it is not difficult to recognize that elementary school teachers and high school teachers have occupations that are
highly compatible. Each occupation requires advanced skills in areas such as education, oral expression, and social percep-
tiveness. However, in other cases, EMSI’s compatibility index is able to identify potential career pathways that are not as
intuitive. For instance, the occupation of an elementary school teacher is highly compatible with that of an employment
interviewer. Though they are occupations in completely different industries, they have similar KSA attributes, includ-
ing high marks in clerical knowledge, active listening skills, and a number of other categories. This compatibility index
is referred to in the main report and the detailed data is contained in Appendix D. For a more detailed perspective than
what is contained in the main report, the occupations according to each industry group along with the full competency
analyses for each industry group can be found in Appendices E-M.

The O*NET system and EMSI’s compatibility index helped to identify shared KSAs. The logic behind this analysis is that
when we understand the key attributes that make up occupations and know which industries and occupations are most
productive in the region, we can begin to see which KSAs drive the most productive aspects of the regional economy.
When properly used, this data will help the regional workforce to become better trained and therefore more competitive
on a national and global scale.

Assessing Competencies
RWA/WIRED funded an initiative to evaluate various skill assessment tools that could be used to assess competencies
and remediate competency deficiencies, if necessary. The evaluation team worked with education providers, workforce
development organizations, and employers to achieve consensus on the tools and terminology to use when measuring
knowledge, skills, and abilities. They conducted focus groups and interviews of employers and educators to determine the
way each segment expresses competencies. The project team is in the process of piloting the use of two tools (WorkKeys
and the Soft Skills portion of Learning Resources, Inc. tools) across the seven counties of southeastern Wisconsin.

WorkKeys is a job skills assessment system that measures real-world skills for specific occupations, while Learning
Resources, Inc., has a program that assesses, develops, and documents “the high-performance interpersonal – or soft –
skills” required by employers.8

Making the KSA Analysis Usable

In this study, the authors have identified nine industry groups and a total of 67 occupations. These, in addition to the 120
KSA attributes (33 knowledge areas, 35 skills, and 52 abilities), provide the team with an immense amount of data. If these
data are not pared down somewhat, the information will be overwhelming and virtually useless for RWA. Thus, from
the 67 occupations, 26 of the most commonly occurring and significant occupations were chosen to be analyzed in the
main report. These occupations are divided into two basic groups—production occupations and service occupations. This
distinction forms accurate and simple categories for separating the workforce. Furthermore, for each occupation, the KSA
attributes have been limited to the top five from each competency category for production occupations and for service
occupations. Production occupations are more technically oriented, while service occupations are more socially oriented.
It therefore makes sense that occupations within each of these categories have distinct KSA similarities. There are, there-
fore, five knowledge categories, five skills, and five abilities for each of the basic two groups.

The similarities in KSAs give rise to the possibility to compare the occupations and show the potential career pathways or
career transitions. The graphs and descriptions in the following section provide a context for comparing occupations for

8 http://www.learning-resources.com/

11
Background

career pathway and career transition movement. Furthermore, the analysis indicates the level of additional education and
training (indicated by KSAs) that would be required to make the pathway or movement occur.

The competency results in the next section are displayed in graphical format. Even in a reduced format, the number of
occupations and KSA attributes resulted in a table with over 1,000 observations. As a result, the tables are not displayed
in the main report, but they can be made available upon request.

12
Research Results

Research Results

Interpreting the Graphs

In this report, EMSI sought to display the KSA data in graphical formats that are both comprehensive and understand-
able. This presents a challenge when working with O*NET data because the system is highly detailed and does not easily
lend itself to averaging and summarizing. Part of making this data accessible was determined by narrowing it to the top 15
KSAs as described in the “Making the KSA Analysis Usable” section.

Another step that the team endeavored to do was conduct basic statistical analysis on each of the top 15 competencies
for the production and service occupation groups. For each competency, we determined the average and standard devia-
tion. A standard deviation measures the variability, or “spread,” of data points around their average value. When working
with O*NET scores, it must be understood that each competency category is independent from the other competency
categories. Therefore, even among occupations that are seemingly similar, such as those of elementary school teachers and
high school teachers, there are certain categories in which the two occupations have vastly different scores. By incorpo-
rating standard deviation in the analysis along with average scores, we were able to determine which competency scores
were closely clustered across multiple occupations, which indicates that those competencies are more universally criti-
cal. We also were able to determine which competencies have a wider distribution of scores, which indicates that those
competencies are more specialized for certain types of occupations. It also allowed us to extend the definition of “normal”
beyond just the average competency score, therefore making our results as flexible as the O*NET system itself. This level
of research was conducted behind the scenes to give background understanding of the occupations and competency
components.

In this section, two distinctive types of charts are provided. The first is a “box and whisker plot” chart that displays the
average, the quartile range, and the minimum and maximum of KSA attributes for each group. The goal of this chart is to
exhibit the competencies with the highest averages, along with the normal and abnormal range of values for the dataset.
For reference, see Figure 1.1: “Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Production Occupations.” The boxes represent the
lower and upper quartile range of competency scores for the occupation group. The first and third quartiles represent
the 25th and 75th percentile, respectively; and the number displayed in the middle of the box indicates the average score
for that competency. For example, looking at Figure 1.1 the average value for mechanical knowledge is 53, with a lower
quartile of 41 and an upper quartile of 67. As a result, the box stretches from a value of 41 to a value of 67. The whis-
kers represent those occupations that lay outside of the quartile range. Using the same example, the maximum score for
mechanical knowledge is 79 and the minimum is 25. As a rule of thumb in interpretation, if the boxes and whiskers are
relatively long, then the occupations have wider extremes for that competency; if the whiskers are relatively short, then
the occupations have more closely clustered values for that competency.

The next figures portray the actual competency scores for each occupation in the group. For this type of depiction we use
radar charts. For reference, see Figure 1.2: “Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Production Occupations.” A radar chart is
a useful comparative analysis tool when looking at multiple occupations with a large number of individually measured
variables. Radar charts can seem confusing at first unless one has the proper context for interpretation. It is helpful to
approach a radar chart as a line graph that has been wrapped around a central point. For example in Figure 1.2, machin-
ists have a score of 77 for mechanical knowledge, mechanical engineers have score of 69, and welders have a score of 51.

13
Research Results

This indicates that the occupations are fairly closely clustered in their knowledge of mechanics, but machinists are the
most specialized, and welders are least specialized in this category. By examining the remaining top 15 occupations we can
see that each occupation excels and does not excel in different competency categories. For context, two circular reference
points are provided in the chart. The blue-shaded reference area nearest to the center indicates the boundaries for compe-
tencies that are considered “basic.” The green-shaded area represents competencies that are “intermediate.” Any compe-
tency that is beyond the green shaded area—a score of 50 or higher—is considered “advanced.”

Another advantage of this type of display is that it clearly demonstrates career pathway potential between occupations.
For instance in Figure 1.2, it is apparent that machinists and welders are fairly evenly matched among the top 15 compe-
tencies, but in several categories welders trail machinists by a noteworthy margin. Machinists generally make more money
than do welders, but an average welder could become a machinist if he or she received training in order to improve
knowledge of mechanics, production and processing, and mathematics. Such career transitions are easily visible when
examining the radar charts throughout this report. One way to organize the information is shown in the following flow
chart (Figure b):

Figure b: Potential career pathway flow chart

Key KSAs for Production Occupations

Results from the competency analysis of production occupations show that the top five competencies in each KSA cat-
egory are:

• Knowledge: Mechanical, Production & Processing, Mathematics, Education & Training, English Language

• Skills: Learning Strategies, Active Listening, Active Learning, Quality Control and Analysis, Equipment Selection

• Abilities: Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Visualization, Problem Sensitivity, Information Ordering

The box and whisker plot in Figure 1.1 shows that the knowledge and skill categories are fairly similar for the occupations’
key attributes because the boxes are fairly small and the whiskers do not indicate that there are very many extreme outli-
ers. The abilities category shows a few more outlier attributes.

The competencies identified can appear somewhat abstract. For example, research results show relatively high ability
rankings for problem sensitivity in production occupations. Problem sensitivity is not a commonly used term, but it is
defined as follows: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the
problem, only recognizing there is a problem. O*NET provides definitions for each of the competencies in Appendix B.
Furthermore, the numbered values associated with each competency provide little meaning without some understanding
of the context. Appendix C provides context for understanding the various competency values. For example, the near-
est scale anchor for problem sensitivity states that an occupation with a score of 46 should be able to: “Recognize that an

14
Research Results

unplugged lamp won’t work.”

In Figure 1.1, two competencies have very low extreme whiskers, which could cause some pause in interpretation. Equip-
ment Selection with a lowest end value of 4 and Visualization with a lowest end value of 8 are represented by the occupa-
tions: Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators and Packers and Packagers, Hand, respectively. Though these occupations
have low values in one competency, their other KSA are in line with the top 15 competencies. To increase the levels of
competencies to the median amount would likely require little additional education and training.

Figure 1.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Production Occupations

Level Knowledge Skills Abilities
90 85 83
82
78 76 78
80 71 70 70
70 62 64 64
59 61 61
65 63
60
58 56 56
60 55
50 50 48
58 50 46
40 47 47
47 41
30 45 39
34 34 36
39 31 31 33
20
23 21
10
13
0 6 2
Computers and Electronics

Written Expression
Monitoring

Oral Expression
Reading Comprehension

Written Comprehension
Oral Comprehension

Oral Comprehension
Customer and Personal Service

Active Listening

Service Orientation
English Language

Deductive Reasoning
Mathematics
Clerical

Figures 1.2 through 1.4 use radar charts to exhibit the level of individual competencies for multiple occupations within
the production occupations group. The radar charts are broken into groups of occupations that share similar competency
attribute values, which are reflected in their roughly similar shapes.

The group of occupations in Figure 1.2 represents more of the mechanically oriented workers within the production
industry. Welders are located more at the entry-level of the occupation group, but they have potential career ladder
opportunities as machinists. If one is beginning as a welder and seeking to become a mechanical engineer, that individual
would require significant education, training, and skill development.

The second group of occupations represented in Figure 1.3 embodies the operations side of the production industry. As is
evident in the radar chart, the competency attributes are very compatible in the skills and abilities categories. With each
occupation, varying degrees of knowledge are prevalent in the categories of Mathematics, Production and Processing, and
Mechanical.

The third group represented in Figure 1.4 characterizes workers who specialize in quality control and the movement of
goods. Several similar KSA comparisons are identifiable in this occupation group. These charts provide some additional
insight into potential career pathways or career transition possibilities. For example, with some additional competency
development, a team assembler could transition into a first-line supervisor.

15
Research Results

Figure 1.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Production Occupations, Group One

Figure 1.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Production Occupations, Group Two

Figure 1.4: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Production Occupations, Group Three

16
Research Results

Key KSAs for Service Occupations

Results from the competency analysis of service occupations show that the top five competencies in each KSA category
are:

• Knowledge: Customer and Personal Service, Clerical, English Language, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics
• Skills: Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation, Active Learning
• Abilities: Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Written Comprehension, Deductive Reasoning, Written Expression
The box and whisker plot in Figure 1.5 displays that overall, the knowledge attributes for service occupations vary some-
what, especially when compared to production occupations. Furthermore, on average, the skill and ability values are
higher than those for production occupations and have a smaller number of outliers. Interestingly, the small number of
“cross-over” abilities (i.e., the abilities that appear in both production and service occupations), Oral Comprehension
and Oral Expression, are higher among service occupations than among production occupations. Other crossover KSAs
also show some distinct differences; English language knowledge shows significantly more outliers in service as compared
to production. The average knowledge for Mathematics is the same between the two occupation categories, though the
service industry has more extreme outliers due to the low scores of service occupations found in Figure 1.8. Additionally,
Active Listening and Active Learning rank very high in service occupations compared to production occupations.

Figure 1.5: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Service Occupations

Level Knowledge Skills Abilities
90 85 83
82
78 76 78
80 71 70 70
70 62 64 64
59 61 61
65 63
60
58 56 56
60 55
50 50 48
58 50 46
40 47 47
47 41
30 45 39
34 34 36
39 31 31 33
20
23 21
10
13
0 6 2
Computers and Electronics

Written Expression
Monitoring

Oral Expression
Reading Comprehension

Written Comprehension
Oral Comprehension

Oral Comprehension
Customer and Personal Service

Active Listening

Service Orientation
English Language

Deductive Reasoning
Mathematics
Clerical

As in the analysis on production occupations, the radar charts show similar groups of occupational shapes, allowing for
insights into possible career transitions and/or pathways. The first set of occupations shown in Figure 1.6 show financial
service, sales, and administrative occupations. Financial managers and sales representatives share very similar KSA values.
Figure 1.7 shows the second set of occupations, which are related to education. These occupations excel in skills such as
Active Listening, Monitoring, and Reading Comprehension.

The third set of occupations represented in Figure 1.8 contains lower knowledge characteristics but fairly high skills and
ability values. Often considered blue-collar jobs, home health aides, personal home care aides, janitors, and landscap-
ing workers have skill and ability requirements that vary from intermediate to advanced. The final group represented in

17
Research Results

Figure 1.9 show the varying degrees of compatibility between customer service representatives, bookkeeping clerks, and
first-line supervisors.

Figure 1.6: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Service Occupations, Group One

Figure 1.7: Top Fifteen KSA Values for Individual Service Occupations, Group Two

18
Research Results

Figure 1.8: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Service Occupations, Group Three

Figure 1.9: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Service Occupations, Group Four

19
Research Results

Company Feedback Results

As discussed earlier in the document, a follow-up feedback survey was conducted with area companies to determine
the validity of the competency results for the focus industry groups. The team sought to complete at least three surveys
(small, medium and large) for companies for each focus industry across the region. Companies were identified and
selected from a Dun & Bradstreet database according to their primary NAICS code. From a narrowed list, EMSI rep-
resentatives contacted the various companies to identify a point of contact and to conduct the survey interview. In all,
approximately 130 companies were contacted and six interviews conducted. The industries covered include the following:
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing; Plastic Manufacturing; Electronic Systems Manufacturing; Consumer Services (Green
Potential); Consumer Services, Other; and Education. In sum, almost all the companies listed the identified KSA attri-
butes as important or very important for each occupation, with the exception of some specific specialty occupations. A
brief summary for each industry group is described below.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
In the pharmaceutical industry, the respondent expressed that the important key occupations were chemists; maintenance
and repair workers; first-line managers; and packaging and filling machine operators. Of the identified KSAs, the abilities
and skills ranked as most critical to the occupations. Knowledge varied between somewhat important to very important,
depending upon the occupation and specific knowledge competency. For example, production and processing knowledge
is very important to packaging and filling machine operators and less important to maintenance and repair workers. The
respondent also expects some company growth over the next 5-10 years.

Plastics Manufacturing
In the plastics sector, several identified occupations were considered important to the respondent’s company, including
the following: maintenance and repair workers; inspectors, testers and sorters; packers and packagers; packaging and
filling machine operators; sales representatives; first-line supervisors; and extruding and drawing machine setters. Within
these occupations, almost all competencies were considered important or very important to the job function. Key com-
petencies that scored lower in importance were those in the knowledge section, where specific specialties become more
apparent. One specific knowledge competency received low scores in customer and personal service for the production
and processing occupations but very high scores for management and sales occupations.

The respondent noted that for most occupations, workers were easy to find and hire, except for some specialty occupa-
tions (e.g., plastic sales representatives). In addition, there was an expectation of company growth over the next 5-10 years,
including the hiring of machine operators.

Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing

In the advanced electronic systems manufacturing sector, the respondent identified 11 of the 15 key occupations as impor-
tant (see table).

Occupation
• Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers • Machinists
• Electronics engineers, except computer • Electrical engineers
• Mechanical engineers • Computer software engineers, applications
• Electrical and electronic engineering technicians • Computer software engineers, systems software
• First-line supervisors/managers of production and operat-
• Computer hardware engineers
ing workers
• Industrial engineers

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Research Results

The identified skill and ability attributes of these occupations ranked from important to very important, while the knowl-
edge attributes were considered very important for all identified occupations. Overall the respondent expressed relative
ease in being able to hire the necessary talent to fill occupational needs, though workers in specific occupations, such as
engineers and electrical and electronic equipment installers, were somewhat difficult to locate. The respondent expects
company growth over the next 5-10 years and would likely hire in all occupations during that timeframe.

Consumer Services (Green Potential)

The respondent’s company in the consumer services industry contained only about half of the identified occupations
for the industry group, namely: janitors and cleaners; maids and housekeeping; and first-line managers. The respon-
dent expressed high importance for oral comprehension and oral expression as abilities for each of the occupations.
The respondent identified high importance for all skill attributes for each occupation. The knowledge category is noted
to have varying degrees of importance. Knowledge of public safety and security; customer and personal service; and
mechanical knowledge were rated as very important, whereas knowledge of chemistry and education and training are
less important. The respondent expressed certain difficulties in hiring talented supervisors and janitors. Furthermore, the
respondent expects to see continued company growth and continued hiring.

Consumer Services, Other

The company interviewed in the consumer services industry is a senior and assisted living center. Of the eight occupa-
tions identified, the respondent noted that seven were important to the function of the company (see table below).

Occupation

• Home health aides

• Personal and home care aides
• Registered nurses
• Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
• Child, family, and school social workers
• Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants
• Social and community service managers

Within the ability competency, all attributes were ranked as important or very important to the occupation. Similar
responses were given for both skills and knowledge, though social perceptiveness was only moderately important for
home health aides, personal home care aides, and nursing aides. The respondent expressed ease in hiring, due to high
wages and an appealing work environment. Nursing aides and orderlies were noted to have a fast turnover.

Education
The education sector is identified as preschool through 12th grade. The respondent’s education center covered the pre-
school through kindergarten years of the education spectrum. Within the identified occupations, only those of elemen-
tary school teachers and teacher assistants were applicable. Ability attributes ranked important and very important, except
in written comprehension, which ranked as somewhat important. All skill attributes were ranked as very important for
the occupations. Given the diverse nature of the knowledge attributes between preschool and high school, geography
ranked less important as well as mathematics. Psychology, English language, and education and training were considered
important and very important. There was no perceived expectation of growth over the next 5 to 10 years.

21
Research Results

Implications and Applications

In the following sections, the team explores what effects the research has in terms of informing decision making, bridg-
ing gaps, and developing collaborations. In addition, discussion and suggestions as to how to move from the research and
results of this study into “on-the-ground” action is also covered.

Implications for Primary and Secondary Educators

The gap between the knowledge, skills, and abilities of high school graduates and dropouts on the one hand and the basic
competency needs of employers on the other is well documented. Yet despite many efforts at reform, the gap still exists.
One of the premises of this research is that better communication tools are needed. Both professionals across the educa-
tion and workforce development spectrum and business executives across a range of different industries lack a common
framework, a common set of definitions and terms.

On the one hand, educators may not be privy to how the demands of business are shifting. On the other hand, busi-
ness people often struggle when trying to express the knowledge, skills, and abilities that will power their business in the
future. As Luis Proenza, president of the University of Akron has remarked, “Business people have detailed specifications
for everything that they buy. But they don’t generally have detailed specifications for the people that they hire.” Focusing
on core competencies—the key KSAs that provide a foundation across industries—may help us bridge the gap.

As mentioned earlier, the handful of core competencies are critical for both production and service occupations. These
competencies are Mathematics, English Language, Active Listening, Active Learning, Oral Comprehension and Oral
Expression, and they make up the bedrock of KSAs for workers entering either the production or service sectors. These
competencies should be considered fundamental to the success of workers in all of the industries targeted in this report.

Equally important, we need visual tools with which to communicate. We are confronting complex challenges of a fast-
moving economy undergoing profound changes. The radar charts developed in this report help us communicate the dif-
ferent dimensions of a successful connection between an individual and an occupational opportunity, and they focus on
the different dimensions of a person’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. The charts reinforce the notion that career choices
are not static or simplistic; they are, instead, complex, emergent, and shifting.

Using these visual tools may help us meet another challenge—enhancing the career guidance system in high schools. It
is not uncommon for a high school guidance counselor to handle between 200 and 300 students. Most of the focus goes
to high school students planning to attend four years of college. Yet remarkable business opportunities are open to high
school students willing to extend their education past high school but not necessarily to four years of college. Under-
standing these pathways is not linear or easy. The radar chart, however, can help narrow and focus career choices for
students.

There is a final note worth mentioning. The term “technical education” often seems to be reserved—as it was in times
past—for students unwilling or unable to enter college. The facts driving today’s employment market are different. Tech-
nical education, far from being the refuge for underachieving students, has become a solid preparation for career advance-
ment. The notion of “core competencies” transcends the traditional divide between general and technical education, an
increasingly outdated distinction.

This research opens a door in the wall between secondary educators and the regional business community. A good place
to start would be to integrate competencies and radar charts into a career guidance pilot program involving regional
organizations.

22
Research Results

Implications for Post-Secondary Educators

Community colleges and universities supply the brainpower needed to drive a high-income regional economy. Yet the
gaps between the supply of brainpower and quickly shifting demand make the connections between employers and
post-secondary educators hard to predict and manage. Practitioners are seeing this shift taking place across the country,
as emerging clusters—such as life sciences—scramble to hire qualified people. To respond, companies and educators
are building new talent pipelines. Focusing on competencies can speed the development of these pipelines. Specifically,
attaining knowledge in a general field (e.g., history, English, mathematics) is not alone sufficient; knowledge needs to be
combined with skills and abilities to give post-secondary graduates the best chance to succeed.

Time presents another problem. Developing new supplies of talented graduates, equipped with the skills that employ-
ers need, takes time. While we may aspire to a “just-in-time” solution that delivers talented graduates on the doorsteps
of businesses as they need them, the challenges of designing and implementing this solution are formidable. Yet gaining
more flexible coordination between our supply of talent and demand for talent will drive regional competitiveness in the
future. Focusing on competencies can help speed the communication and move us toward a more “just-in-time” coor-
dination. A small group of post-secondary educators and employers might use this report to explore how to speed the
development of new certifications and degree options.

This report may also prompt post-secondary educators to work with the business community to explore how to map
career pathways. These career pathway maps can strengthen the value proposition of post-secondary education. If indi-
viduals can see how their career options will unfold, the decision to invest in higher education becomes easier.

Implications for Employers

Employers often have difficulty effectively communicating their talent needs. The challenge is complex. As we can see
from our discussion of core competencies, we need multiple dimensions to describe accurately the concept of “talent.”
Large companies have human resource departments to help manage this challenge. Small and midsize companies, how-
ever, often do not have access to these resources. Yet it is among these small and midsize companies that much of the
regional job growth is taking place.

Focusing on core competencies gives employers a clear framework to communicate their needs more effectively. This
report sets the stage for workshops that can bring educators and employers together in smaller groups to define employer
needs more clearly. As employers become more comfortable with the pragmatism of using the framework of knowledge,
skills and abilities, they will become more explicit in defining their needs. This research opens the door to workshops with
professional associations within the region, such as SHRM, to help employers move toward using competencies to define
their talent needs.

Implications for Workforce Development

Workforce development professionals face the escalated and ongoing challenge of re-engaging workers who have become
displaced through business contractions and failures. Increasingly, the job of the workforce development professional
involves helping adult workers chart new career pathways. This process involves two steps. First, we need to assess a
displaced worker’s current competencies in terms that are relevant to emerging employer needs. Second, we need to chart
pathways to re-engage the worker in new career opportunities emerging in the region.

Connecting competencies to occupations and clusters provides an effective way to chart these new pathways. Specifically,
the radar charts provide a visual tool that can help an individual understand how to connect their current competencies
to new career opportunities. Workforce development professionals can collaborate with educators and business executives
to develop additional visual tools to illustrate the connections among competencies, occupations, and clusters to commu-
nicate more effectively with displaced workers. By starting small and in a targeted way, workforce development profes-

23
Research Results

sionals can convince educators and business executives to encourage the adoption of the “common language system” of
competencies.

Potential Implementation Strategies

The success of this project stems, in part, from a methodical and steady expansion of prior work from the “Quick Hit”
report. Developing a new approach to connect education and training to the workplace is no simple matter. Success will
require collaborations across organizational and political boundaries. The best approach is “aggressive incrementalism”
(i.e., the region needs to launch a number of different pilot projects, evaluate their success, and aggressively expand the
most promising innovations). These innovations must be replicable, scalable, and sustainable.

• Replication requires documentation, methodologies, and protocols. If a successful program cannot be replicated eas-
ily, it cannot be driven to regional scale.
• Scale involves primarily questions of cost. The region needs solutions that leverage digital technologies in order to
expand, economically, the scale of a promising program. Education and workforce development are service businesses
that traditionally require high levels of professional, “hands-on” service. The region must consider how to utilize digi-
tal technologies to reduce the pressure to high more people while driving promising initiatives to a regional scale.
• Sustainability involves a market test. Businesses and individuals will only invest in education and training that
generates clear returns. The returns to individuals come in higher earnings. The returns to business appear in higher
productivity, faster and more accurate hiring decisions, and reduced employee turnover.
The following are some ways the region could develop promising pilot programs that emerge from this research:

1. Work with regional entities to define a pilot project to develop the next generation of career guidance in high schools.

2. Establish collaboration among the Regional Workforce Alliance, post-secondary educators, and employers within one
of the industry groups identified in this report. This collaboration would focus on using competencies to chart new “re-
engagement pathways” for displaced workers.

3. Establish an innovative “design shop” among the RWA, post-secondary educators, and employers within one of the
industry groups identified in this report. The design shop would focus on the development of innovative education solu-
tions to meet the emerging needs of employers.

24


Conclusions

The three main goals this study sought to achieve were the following:

1. To further develop the process pioneered by RWA in identifying competencies within the Milwaukee 7 and North-
east Illinois region

2. To explore a wide range of industries and identify target industries and occupations within the region for the purpose
of identifying key “in-demand” competencies

3. To display “in-demand” competencies in a fashion that would show similarities and potential career ladder/lattice
movement.

A wide variety of intertwined industries and occupations that permeate the regional economy were identified as potential
target areas. The characteristics of the industries and accompanying occupations pose opportunities for regional growth
and expansion. Most notably, the degree of compatibility and number of career ladder/lattice opportunities for the
region’s workforce provide compelling reasons to make use of the area’s ability to transform its economy, build a stronger,
more talented workforce, and further compete on a national and global scale.

The study results will help to form the basis of analyzing education and remediation programs within the region for the
purposes of identifying the degree to which each institution is contributing to the region’s talent needs. In addition, the
study results will help to further “streamline” future competency analyses as the region continues to grow, develop, and
position itself as a global player. Lastly, as companies seek to recruit new employees, this study will help to provide insight
into the underlying skill sets that are crucial in occupational performance. When competency understanding is incorpo-
rated into hiring practices, companies can find workers that will more likely fit with the occupation, thereby increasing
productivity and potentially reducing turnover.

The incorporation of employer feedback has added significantly to the study’s findings. Employers on the whole value
the competencies identified for the focus occupations. The feedback provided serves as a backdrop to further engage area
employers to become more involved in the workforce development planning in the region.

Note on Appendices: In Appendices E-M, analysis is completed for each industry group and its focus occupations. As in
the main report, target occupations are shown according to their top five KSAs. Each industry group varies depending on
the target occupations found within the group. An important observation is that the competencies for each target occupa-
tion in each industry group have some overlap, which points to the notion that some competencies are integral to almost
all occupations.

25
Appendix A: Focus Industry Groups and Focus Occupations Summary

Appendix A: Focus
Industry Groups and Focus
Occupations Summary

The following tables exhibit the focus industries and occupations that EMSI selected for this competency study. The
first three columns provide information on the industry clusters, and the last two columns contain information on the
occupations related to each of those industry clusters. Please take note that there are some occupations that are contained
in multiple clusters.

Production Industries & Occupations

Production Industry NAICS Description SOC Description
Cluster
Pharmaceutical 325411 Medicinal and botanical mfg. 11-9199 Managers, all other
Manufacturing
325412 Pharmaceutical preparation mfg. 19-2031 Chemists
13-1199 Business operation specialists, all other

49-9042 Maintenance and repair workers,

general
51-2092 Team assemblers

51-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of pro-

duction and operating workers

51-9111 Packaging and filling machine operators

and tenders

51-9023 Mixing and blending machine setters,

operators, and tenders
Sales representatives, wholesale and
41-4011 manufacturing, technical and scientific
products
Molding, coremaking, and casting
Plastics packaging film and sheet
Plastics Manufacturing 326112 51-4072 machine setters, operators, and tenders,
mfg. metal and plastic
Laminated plastics plate, sheet, 49-9042 Maintenance and repair workers,
326130 and shapes mfg. general

26
Appendix A: Focus Industry Groups and Focus Occupations Summary

Production Industry NAICS Description SOC Description

Cluster

51-9061 Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers,

326140 Polystyrene foam product mfg. and weighers
Cutting, punching, and press machine
Urethane and other foam product
326150 51-4031 setters, operators, and tenders, metal
mfg. and plastic

51-4011 Computer-controlled machine tool

326160 Plastics bottle mfg. operators, metal and plastic
326199 All other plastics product mfg. 51-2092 Team assemblers
53-7064 Packers and packagers, hand

51-9111 Packaging and filling machine operators

and tenders
Sales representatives, wholesale and
41-4012 manufacturing, except technical and
scientific products

51-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of pro-

duction and operating workers
Extruding and drawing machine set-
51-4021 ters, operators, and tenders, metal and
plastic
53-7051 Industrial truck and tractor operators
Industrial Machinery Farm machinery and equipment
333111 51-2031 Engine and other machine assemblers
Manufacturing mfg.
333120 Construction machinery mfg.
Speed changer, drive, and gear
333612 mfg.
Mechanical power transmission
333613 51-2092 Team assemblers
equipment mfg.

51-4011 Computer-controlled machine tool

operators, metal and plastic

51-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of pro-

duction and operating workers
Cutting, punching, and press machine
51-4031 setters, operators, and tenders, metal
and plastic

51-9061 Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers,

and weighers
17-3013 Mechanical drafters
17-2141 Mechanical engineers
51-4121 Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
51-2031 Engine and other machine assemblers
17-2112 Industrial engineers

53-7062 Laborers and freight, stock, and material

movers, hand

27
Appendix A: Focus Industry Groups and Focus Occupations Summary
Service Industries & Occupations
Service Industry NAICS Description
Cluster
Financial Services 522110 Commercial banking
522130 Credit unions
522210 Credit card issuing
522291 Consumer lending
522320 Financial transaction processing and 43-4131 Loan interviewers and clerks
clearing
522390 Other credit intermediation activities 11-3031 Financial managers
541611 Administrative management consult- 13-1199 Business operation specialists, all other
Business Services ing services
541613 Marketing consulting services
541614 Process and logistics consulting
services
541620 Environmental consulting services
541690 Other technical consulting services
551114 Managing offices
561110 Office administrative services
Consumer Services Exterminating and pest control
561710 services
(Green Potential)
561720 Janitorial services
561730 Landscaping services
561740 Carpet and upholstery cleaning
services
SOC Description
43-3071 Tellers
13-2072 Loan officers
43-4051 Customer service representatives
43-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of office
and administrative support workers
13-2051 Financial analysts
13-2041 Credit analysts
13-2099 Financial specialists, all other
43-3011 Bill and Account Collectors
43-3031 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing
clerks
41-3031 Securities, commodities, and financial
services sales agents
13-2011 Accountants and auditors
43-3031 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing
clerks
43-6011 Executive secretaries and administrative
assistants
43-9061 Office clerks, general
11-9199 Managers, all other
13-1071 Employment, recruitment, and place-
ment specialists
43-4051 Customer service representatives
19-3021 Market research analysts
13-1111 Management analysts
37-2011 Janitors and cleaners, except maids and
housekeeping cleaners
37-2019 Building cleaning workers, all other
37-2012 Maids and housekeeping cleaners
37-1011 First-line supervisors/managers of
housekeeping and janitorial workers
28
Appendix A: Focus Industry Groups and Focus Occupations Summary

Service Industry NAICS Description SOC Description

Cluster

561790 Other services to buildings and 49-9042 Maintenance and repair workers,
dwellings general

37-3011 Landscaping and groundskeeping

workers
37-2021 Pest control workers

37-3012 Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and appli-

cators, vegetation

53-7081 Refuse and recyclable material

collectors
Continuing care retirement
Other Consumer Services 623311 communities 31-1011 Home health aides

623312 Homes for the elderly 39-9021 Personal and home care aides
624120 Services for the elderly and disabled 29-1111 Registered nurses

29-2061 Licensed practical and licensed voca-

624190 Other individual and family services tional nurses
21-1093 Social and human service assistants
21-1021 Child, family, and school social workers
31-1012 Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants
11-9151 Social and community service managers

611110 Elementary and Secondary Schools, 25-2021 Elementary school teachers, except
K-12 Education* (private) special education
920000 State Government 25-9041 Teacher assistants

25-2031 Secondary school teachers, except

special and vocational education

25-2022 Middle school teachers, except special

and vocational education
25-3099 Teachers and instructors, all other

* As previously mentioned the K-12 education sector is not separated from the state government sector and is therefore hard to differentiate in typical
industry categories. To determine the occupations typically contained in this industry, the authors used the staffing patterns from the private elementary
and secondary schools industry.

29
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions

Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill

and Ability Descriptions

The following three tables contain the verbal descriptions for all 120 knowledge, skill, and ability competency categories.9
The shaded rows in the knowledge and skill description tables are sub-headings, or “descriptors,” for a smaller group
of competencies that share similar characteristics. These descriptors are listed solely to form an organizational pattern.
O*NET competency scores do not exist at the descriptor level, only at the competency level.

The abilities table is a little more complex. Because of their sheer numbers, abilities are grouped under four higher-level
descriptor categories, shaded in blue, and a much larger number of lower-level competency types, shaded in light gray.

KNOWLEDGE Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains

Knowledge of principles and facts related to business administration and accounting, human and mate-
Business and Management rial resource management in organizations, sales and marketing, economics, and office information and
organizing systems
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation,
Administration and human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and
Management resources.
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, manag-
Clerical ing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and
terminology.
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the
Economics and Accounting analysis and reporting of financial data.
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This
Sales and Marketing includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control
systems.
Customer and Personal Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes cus-
Service tomer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Personnel and Human Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation
Resources and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Manufacturing and Knowledge of principles and facts related to the production, processing, storage, and distribution of
Production manufactured and agricultural goods
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maxi-
Production and Processing mizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both
Food Production plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

9 O*Net Competency Descriptors. From http://online.onetcenter.org (accessed June 30, 2009).

30
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions

KNOWLEDGE Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains

Engineering and Knowledge of the design, development, and application of technology for specific purposes.
Technology
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and soft-
Computers and Electronics ware, including applications and programming.
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying
Engineering and principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and
Technology services.
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical
Design plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, build-
Building and Construction ings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Mechanical Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Knowledge of the history, theories, methods, and applications of the physical, biological, social, math-
Mathematics and Science ematical, and geography
Mathematics Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to
Physics understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-
atomic structures and processes.
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical
Chemistry processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions,
danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interac-
Biology tions with each other and the environment.
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and
Psychology interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment
of behavioral and affective disorders.
Sociology and Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnic-
Anthropology ity, cultures and their history and origins.
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including
Geography their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human
life.
Knowledge of principles and facts regarding diagnosing, curing, and preventing disease, and improving
Health Services and preserving physical and mental health and well-being
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases,
Medicine and Dentistry and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and
preventive health-care measures.
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physi-
Therapy and Counseling cal and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for
Education and Training individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Knowledge of facts and principles related to the branches of learning concerned with human thought,
Arts and Humanities language, and the arts.
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of
English Language words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and
Foreign Language spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

31
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions

KNOWLEDGE Organized sets of principles and facts applying in general domains

Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music,
Fine Arts dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
History and Archeology Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values,
Philosophy and Theology ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Knowledge of regulations and methods for maintaining people and property free from danger, injury,
Law and Public Safety or damage; the rules of public conduct established and enforced by legislation, and the political process
establishing such rules.
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state,
Public Safety and Security or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive
Law and Government orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Communications Knowledge of the science and art of delivering information
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications
Telecommunications systems.
Communications and Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This
Media includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the
Transportation relative costs and benefits.

SKILLS Developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of
knowledge.
Basic Skills Developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of knowledge
Background structures needed to work with and acquire more specific skills in a variety of different
Content domains
Reading Comprehension Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made,
Active Listening asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Mathematics Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Procedures that contribute to the more rapid acquisition of knowledge and skill across a variety of
Process Skills domains
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions
Critical Thinking or approaches to problems.
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and
Active Learning decision-making.
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when
Learning Strategies learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improve-
Monitoring ments or take corrective action.

32
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions

SKILLS Developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of
knowledge.
Cross-Functional Skills Developed capacities that facilitate performance of activities that occur across jobs
Social Skills Developed capacities used to work with people to achieve goals
Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Persuasion Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Negotiation Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Instructing Teaching others how to do something.
Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.
Complex Problem Solving Developed capacities used to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings
Skills
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and
Complex Problem Solving implement solutions.
Developed capacities used to design, set-up, operate, and correct malfunctions involving application of
Technical Skills machines or technological systems
Operations Analysis Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
Technology Design Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs.
Equipment Selection Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Installation Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.
Programming Writing computer programs for various purposes.
Operation Monitoring Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is
Equipment Maintenance needed.
Troubleshooting Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Repairing Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Quality Control Analysis Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Systems Skills Developed capacities used to understand, monitor, and improve socio-technical systems
Judgment and Decision Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Making
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environ-
Systems Analysis ment will affect outcomes.
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct
Systems Evaluation performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Resource Management Developed capacities used to allocate resources efficiently
Skills
Time Management Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Management of Financial Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Resources
Management of Material Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain
Resources work.

33
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions

SKILLS Developed capacities that facilitate learning or the more rapid acquisition of
knowledge.
Management of Personnel Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Resources

ABILITIES Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance

Cognitive Abilities Abilities that influence the acquisition and application of knowledge in problem solving
Verbal Abilities Abilities that influence the acquisition and application of verbal information in problem solving
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and
Oral Comprehension sentences.
Written Comprehension The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Idea Generation and Rea- Abilities that influence the application and manipulation of information in problem solving
soning Abilities
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their
Fluency of Ideas quality, correctness, or creativity).
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop cre-
Originality ative ways to solve a problem.
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the prob-
Problem Sensitivity lem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a
Inductive Reasoning relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of
Information Ordering rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Category Flexibility The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Quantitative Abilities Abilities that influence the solution of problems involving mathematical relationships
Mathematical Reasoning The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
Number Facility The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
Memory Abilities related to the recall of available information
Memorization The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
Perceptual Abilities Abilities related to the acquisition and organization of visual information
Speed of Closure The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other
Flexibility of Closure distracting material.
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers,
Perceptual Speed objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after
the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Spatial Abilities Abilities related to the manipulation and organization of spatial information
The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in
Spatial Orientation relation to you.

34
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions
ABILITIES
Visualization
Attentiveness
Selective Attention
Time Sharing
Psychomotor Abilities
Fine Manipulative Abilities
Arm-Hand Steadiness
Manual Dexterity
Finger Dexterity
Control Movement Abilities Abilities related to the control and manipulation of objects in time and space
Control Precision
Multilimb Coordination
Response Orientation
Rate Control
Reaction Time and Speed
Abilities
Reaction Time
Wrist-Finger Speed
Speed of Limb Movement
Physical Abilities
Static Strength
Explosive Strength
Dynamic Strength
Trunk Strength
Endurance
Stamina
Flexibility, Balance, and
Coordination
Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance
The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or
rearranged.
Abilities related to application of attention
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as
speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
Abilities that influence the capacity to manipulate and control objects
Abilities related to the manipulation of objects
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and
hand in one position.
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp,
manipulate, or assemble objects.
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp,
manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm)
while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body
is in motion.
The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different
signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the
hand, foot, or other body part.
The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes
in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Abilities related to speed of manipulation of objects
The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it
appears.
The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.
Abilities that influence strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and coordination
The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw
an object.
The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance
and resistance to muscle fatigue.
The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or
continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
The ability to exert oneself physically over long periods without getting out of breath
The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
Abilities related to the control of gross body movements
35
Appendix B: Knowledge, Skill and Ability Descriptions

ABILITIES Enduring attributes of the individual that influence performance

Extent Flexibility The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Dynamic Flexibility The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in
Gross Body Coordination motion.
Gross Body Equilibrium The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
Sensory Abilities Abilities that influence visual, auditory and speech perception
Visual Abilities Abilities related to visual sensory input
Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Far Vision The ability to see details at a distance.
Visual Color Discrimination The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Night Vision The ability to see under low light conditions.
Peripheral Vision The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.
The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance
Depth Perception between you and an object.
Glare Sensitivity The ability to see objects in the presence of glare or bright lighting.
Auditory and Speech Abilities related to auditory and oral input
Abilities
Hearing Sensitivity The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Auditory Attention The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Sound Localization The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated.
Speech Recognition The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

36
Appendix C: Scores and Scale Anchors for Top Fifteen KSAs

Appendix C: Scores and Scale

Anchors for Top Fifteen KSAs

In addition to quantifying the competency scores for each occupation, the O*NET system also provides “scale anchors”10
for each competency value. The scale anchors provide a verbal description of an example task that a person would be
required accomplish in order to rank at the lower middle and highest levels for each competency. In the following tables
the middle scale anchors and their values are displayed in the far-right columns. This information is intended to provide
some real-world basis for the competency scores that are used throughout this report.

Production Occupations: Knowledge

Knowledge Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value
Mechanical 54 Replace a valve on a steam pipe 57
Production and Processing 48 Supervise an appliance assembly line 57
Analyze data to determine areas with the highest
Mathematics 42 sales
Education and Training 41 Show someone how to bowl 57
English Language 40 Write a thank-you note 57

Production Occupations: Skills

Skills Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value

Identify an alternative approach that might help

Learning Strategies 54 57
trainees who are having difficulties

Active Listening 52 Answer inquiries regarding credit references 57

Determine the impact of new menu changes on a 57

Active Learning 52 restaurant's purchasing requirements

Measure new part requisitions for tolerance to

Quality Control Analysis 51 57
specifications
Choose a software application to use to complete 57
Equipment Selection 51 a work assignment

10 O*Net Scale Anchors. From http://online.onetcenter.org (accessed August 18, 2009).

37
Appendix C: Scores and Scale Anchors for Top Fifteen KSAs

Production Occupations: Abilities

Ability Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value

Understand a coach's oral instructions for a

Oral Comprehension 50 57
sport

Oral Expression 49 Give instructions to a lost motorist 57

Follow a diagram to assemble a metal stor-

Visualization 47 57
age cabinet

Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't

Problem Sensitivity 46 57
work
Information Ordering 46 Follow the correct steps to make change 28

Service Occupations: Knowledge

Knowledge Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value

Work as a day care aide supervising 10

Customer and Personal Service 55 57
children

Clerical 54 Type 30 words per minute 42

English Language 51 Edit a feature article in a local newspaper 57

Analyze data to determine areas with the

Mathematics 50 57
highest sales
Computers and Electronics 47 Use a word processor 42

Service Occupations: Skills

First Tier- Advanced
Skills Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value

Active Listening 66 Answer inquiries regarding credit references 57

Monitor a meeting's progress and revise the

Monitoring 63 agenda to ensure that important topics are 57
discussed

Read a memo from management describing 57

Reading Comprehension 63 new personnel policies

Make flight reservations for customers, using 57

Service Orientation 63 an airline reservation system

38
Appendix C: Scores and Scale Anchors for Top Fifteen KSAs

Skills Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value

Determine the impact of new menu changes 57

Active Learning 61 on a restaurant's purchasing requirements

Service Occupations: Abilities

Ability Median Score Scale Anchor Scale Anchor Value

Understand a coach's oral instructions for a

Oral Comprehension 57 57
sport

Oral Expression 57 Give instructions to a lost motorist 57

Written Comprehension 54 Understand signs on the highway 57

Deductive Reasoning 49 Know that a stalled car can coast downhill 28

Write a note to remind someone to take food 57
Written Expression 48 out of the freezer

39
Appendix D: Top Occupations with Transferable KSAs

Appendix D: Top
Occupations with
Transferable KSAs

The following two tables display a short list of occupations that are the most compatible with the core targeted occupa-
tions. These occupations were selected based on their aptitude scores within the top 15 KSA categories. The columns to
the right of the occupations exhibit the number of the top five competencies in each KSA sub-division that appeared
among the top five competencies for the compatible occupations. Since there are five competencies within each of the
sub-divisions the maximum score in each category is 5, and the maximum total score is 15. The occupations with the
highest scores are most compatible with the skills required for the production and service sectors. The total out of 15 is
also displayed in the far right column.

PRODUCTION
O*Net SOC Description Knowledge Skills Abilities Total
51-2022.00 Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers 5 4 5 14
51-4192.00 Lay-Out Workers, Metal and Plastic 5 4 5 14
51-9195.07 Molding and Casting Workers 3 5 5 13
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems
51-2011.00 4 4 5 13
Assemblers
51-2023.00 Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers 5 3 5 13
17-3027.00 Mechanical Engineering Technicians 5 3 5 13
51-2093.00 Timing Device Assemblers, Adjusters, and Calibrators 5 3 5 13
17-3012.01 Electronic Drafters 5 4 4 13
17-2072.00 Electronics Engineers, Except Computer 5 3 5 13
51-9195.03 Stone Cutters and Carvers, Manufacturing 3 5 5 13

SERVICES
O*Net SOC Description Knowledge Skills Abilities Total
11-3011.00 Administrative Services Managers 5 5 5 15
43-6013.00 Medical Secretaries 5 5 5 15
43-4041.01 Credit Authorizers 5 5 5 15

40
Appendix D: Top Occupations with Transferable KSAs

SERVICES
43-3071.00 Tellers 5 5 5 15
43-3041.00 Gaming Cage Workers 5 5 5 15
29-1121.00 Audiologists 5 5 5 15
13-1072.00 Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists 5 5 5 15
43-4031.03 License Clerks 5 5 5 15
29-1124.00 Radiation Therapists 5 5 5 15
13-2061.00 Financial Examiners 5 4 5 14

41
Appendix E: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Appendix E: Pharmaceutical
Manufacturing

This appendix includes analysis for the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry group and subsequent focus occupations.
Box and whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational groups
are also provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW

NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
325411 Medicinal and botanical mfg. 114 320 509 189 59% $89,006
325412 Pharmaceutical preparation mfg. 16,422 14,659 15,978 1,319 9% $166,570
Total 16,536 14,979 16,487 1,508 10% $164,913

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Packaging and filling machine opera-
51-9111 672 712 713 1 0% 5%
tors and tenders
Maintenance and repair workers,
49-9042 557 601 667 66 11% 4%
general
19-2031 Chemists 423 539 539 0 0% 4%
Mixing and blending machine setters,
51-9023 380 431 480 49 11% 3%
operators, and tenders
First-line supervisors/managers of
51-1011 496 398 443 45 11% 3%
production and operating workers
Sales representatives, wholesale and
41-4011 manufacturing, technical and scien- 416 368 410 42 11% 2%
tific products
51-2092 Team assemblers 375 312 347 35 11% 2%
Total 3,319 3,361 3,598 238 7% 22%

42
Appendix E: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Figure e.1: Distribution of Top Fifteen KSA Values for Pharmaceuticals Occupations

Title
90

82 82 82
80 79 77 76 78
75 75 73
70 71
69
64 62 61 64
60 59
60 59 59 57 56
50 51 51
51 49 48 51
49 48 44 44 45 45
45 41 43
40 39 39 41
37
35
30 31 30

20 20

10

0
Coordination

Active Listening
Mechanical

Information
Active Learning
Personal Service
Production and

Monitoring

Oral Expression

Deductive
Reasoning
Education and

Comprehension

Comprehension

Comprehension
Mathematics

Customer and

Ordering
Processing

Training

Reading

Written
Oral

Figure e.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Pharmaceuticals Occupations, Group One

43
Appendix E: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Figure e.3: Fifteen KSA Values for Individual Pharmaceuticals Occupations, Group Two

44
Appendix F: Plastic Manufacturing

Appendix F: Plastic
Manufacturing

This appendix includes analysis for the plastic manufacturing industry group and subsequent focus occupations. Box and
whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational groups are also
provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW

NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
326112 Plastics packaging film and sheet mfg. 198 201 320 119 59% $59,991
Laminated plastics plate, sheet, and
326130 425 138 273 135 98% $51,992
shapes mfg.
326140 Polystyrene foam product mfg. 51 312 364 52 17% $44,087
Urethane and other foam product
326150 92 157 284 127 81% $52,073
mfg.
326160 Plastics bottle mfg. 495 567 753 186 33% $51,327
326199 All other plastics product mfg. 13,223 13,430 14,777 1,347 10% $66,002
Total 14,484 14,806 16,772 1,966 13% $64,618

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Molding, coremaking, and casting
51-4072 machine setters, operators, and ten- 1,715 1,530 1,625 95 6% 10%
ders, metal and plastic
51-2092 Team assemblers 986 1,031 1,214 183 18% 7%
53-7064 Packers and packagers, hand 928 814 761 -53 -7% 6%
Extruding and drawing machine
51-4021 setters, operators, and tenders, metal 301 725 854 129 18% 5%
and plastic
Total 7,187 7,130 7,903 771 11% 48%

45
Appendix F: Plastic Manufacturing

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
First-line supervisors/managers of
51-1011 645 636 744 108 17% 4%
production and operating workers
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers,
51-9061 721 443 493 50 11% 3%
and weighers
Cutting, punching, and press machine
51-4031 setters, operators, and tenders, metal 371 410 435 25 6% 3%
and plastic
Maintenance and repair workers,
49-9042 347 391 461 70 18% 3%
general
53-7051 Industrial truck and tractor operators 347 320 338 18 6% 2%
Computer-controlled machine tool
51-4011 277 295 380 85 29% 2%
operators, metal and plastic
Packaging and filling machine opera-
51-9111 279 269 285 16 6% 2%
tors and tenders
Sales representatives, wholesale and
41-4012 manufacturing, except technical and 271 266 311 45 17% 2%
scientific products
Total 7,187 7,130 7,903 771 11% 48%

Figure f.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Plastic Mfg. Occupations
Title
90

80 79

70 72
69 68
64 63 65 66
63 64
60 61
53 57 57 57
54 54
50 52 52
53
47 48 48
48 45 45
40 43 39 45
43
35 39 35 36
34
32 30 32
30 30 29 30
25 23
20 20

10 9

0
Mechanical

Personal Service
Production and

Oral Expression

Reasoning
Education and

Comprehension

Comprehension
Active Listening
Instructing

Control Precision
Active Learning
Mathematics

Quality Control

Deductive
Strategies
Learning
Customer and
Processing

Training

Analysis

Written
Oral

46
Appendix F: Plastic Manufacturing

Figure f.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Plastic Mfg. Occupations, Group One

Figure f.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Plastic Mfg. Occupations, Group Two

47
Appendix F: Plastic Manufacturing

Figure f.4: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Plastic Mfg. Occupations, Group Three

48
Appendix G: Industrial Machinery Manufacturing

Appendix G: Industrial
Machinery Manufacturing

This appendix includes analysis for the industrial machinery manufacturing industry group and subsequent focus occupa-
tions. Box and whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational
groups are also provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
333111 Farm machinery and equipment mfg. 1,754 1,854 1,501 -353 -19% $87,363
333120 Construction machinery mfg. 1,765 4,729 6,360 1,631 34% $86,536
333612 Speed changer, drive, and gear mfg. 2,451 1,324 1,394 70 5% $75,017
Mechanical power transmission
333613 676 1,255 1,954 699 56% $65,262
equipment mfg.
Total 6,646 9,162 11,209 2,046 22% $82,124

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
51-2092 Team assemblers 657 956 1,161 205 21% 10%
51-4041 Machinists 493 744 953 209 28% 8%
Welders, cutters, solderers, and
51-4121 358 645 847 202 31% 7%
brazers
Computer-controlled machine tool
51-4011 335 509 680 171 33% 6%
operators, metal and plastic
51-2031 Engine and other machine assemblers 290 430 535 105 24% 5%
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers,
51-9061 278 345 413 68 20% 4%
and weighers
First-line supervisors/managers of
51-1011 238 314 381 67 21% 3%
production and operating workers
17-2141 Mechanical engineers 212 280 343 63 22% 3%
Total 3,328 4,926 6,152 1,227 25% 54%

49
Appendix G: Industrial Machinery Manufacturing

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Cutting, punching, and press machine
51-4031 setters, operators, and tenders, metal 124 213 232 19 9% 2%
and plastic
17-3013 Mechanical drafters 116 175 214 39 22% 2%
Laborers and freight, stock, and mate-
53-7062 122 166 177 11 7% 2%
rial movers, hand
17-2112 Industrial engineers 103 149 217 68 45% 2%
Total 3,328 4,926 6,152 1,227 25% 54%

Figure g.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Industrial Machinery Mfg. Occupations

Title
100

90 89

80 79 81 77 79 80
76 75 77
74 74 70 73
70 72 71

60 55
55
50 56 55 53 56 54
54 50
51 52 51
48 46
47 45 41
40 39 40 41 39 39 38
35 34
30 30
24 23
20
14 14
10

0
Coordination
Mechanical

Engineering and
Production and

Visualization
Oral Expression

Reasoning
Comprehension

Comprehension

Comprehension
Active Listening

Equipment
Active Learning
Mathematics

Deductive
Design

Selection
Processing

Technology

Reading

Written
Oral

Figure g.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Industrial Machinery Mfg. Occupations, Group One

50
Appendix G: Industrial Machinery Manufacturing

Figure g.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Industrial Machinery Mfg. Occupations, Group Two

Figure g.4: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Industrial Machinery Mfg. Occupations, Group Three

51
Appendix H: Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing

Appendix H: Advanced
Electronic Systems
Manufacturing

This appendix includes analysis for the advanced electronic systems manufacturing industry group and subsequent focus
occupations. Box and whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupa-
tional groups are also provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
Other communications equipment
334290 303 504 1,163 659 131% $82,321
mfg.
334418 Printed circuit assembly mfg. 745 1,555 2,444 889 57% $50,518
334419 Other electronic component mfg. 2,394 1,995 2,020 25 1% $58,154
Electromedical and electrotherapeu-
334510 1,316 1,079 1,299 220 20% $78,690
tic apparatus mfg.
Search, detection, and navigation
334511 1,563 1,188 1,256 68 6% $67,942
instruments mfg.
Industrial process variable instru-
334513 1,627 1,207 1,239 32 3% $72,132
ments mfg.
Electricity and signal testing instru-
334515 270 1,154 1,786 632 55% $114,682
ments mfg.
334517 Irradiation apparatus mfg. 3,885 4,191 4,858 667 16% $129,895
Total 12,103 12,872 16,065 3,193 25% $90,538

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Electrical and electronic equipment
51-2022 1,288 1,158 1,186 28 2% 9%
assemblers
51-2092 Team assemblers 607 685 859 174 25% 5%
Total 6,034 6,169 7,516 1,349 22% 48%

52
Appendix H: Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers,
51-9061 670 536 573 37 7% 4%
and weighers
Electromechanical equipment
51-2023 450 507 588 81 16% 4%
assemblers
Electrical and electronic engineering
17-3023 426 432 517 85 20% 3%
technicians
17-2071 Electrical engineers 397 426 520 94 22% 3%
17-2112 Industrial engineers 316 411 642 231 56% 3%
Electronics engineers, except
17-2072 351 368 460 92 25% 3%
computer
17-2141 Mechanical engineers 339 338 400 62 18% 3%
First-line supervisors/managers of
51-1011 281 296 371 75 26% 2%
production and operating workers
Computer software engineers,
15-1031 247 286 411 125 44% 2%
applications
51-4041 Machinists 268 275 354 79 29% 2%
Computer software engineers, sys-
15-1032 173 182 283 101 55% 1%
tems software
17-2061 Computer hardware engineers 99 140 171 31 22% 1%
51-9141 Semiconductor processors 122 129 183 54 42% 1%
Total 6,034 6,169 7,516 1,349 22% 48%

Figure h.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Electronics Mfg. Occupations

Level
120

100 96
91
84 82 84
80 75
74 74
70 68
67 63 66 66 66
64
61
60
61 63 62 62 58
59 56 56
53 52 50 54 54 51
50 48
40 42 42 41 41 40 41 43
39 39 39

28 25
20

0
Troubleshooting
English Language
Engineering and

Critical Thinking

Oral Expression

Reasoning
Education and

Comprehension

Comprehension

Comprehension
Computers and

Information
Active Learning
Mathematics

Quality Control

Deductive

Ordering
Electronics

Technology

Training

Reading

Analysis

Written
Oral

53
Appendix H: Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing

Figure h.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Electronics Mfg. Occupations, Group One

Figure h.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Electronics Mfg. Occupations, Group Two

54
Appendix H: Advanced Electronic Systems Manufacturing

Figure h.4: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Electronics Mfg. Occupations, Group Three

55
Appendix I: Financial Services

Appendix I: Financial Services

This appendix includes analysis for the financial services industry group and subsequent focus occupations. Box and
whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational groups are also
provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
522110 Commercial banking 16,576 16,686 16,982 296 2% $60,434
522130 Credit unions 1,816 1,941 1,935 -6 0% $39,409
522210 Credit card issuing 2,921 2,514 2,971 457 18% $127,780
522291 Consumer lending 482 863 904 41 5% $71,754
Financial transaction processing and
522320 398 1,670 2,164 494 30% $57,930
clearing
522390 Other credit intermediation activities 751 1,197 1,348 151 13% $33,612
Total 22,944 24,869 26,303 1,434 6% $64,535

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
43-3071 Tellers 5,329 6,140 6,828 688 11% 25%
13-2072 Loan officers 1,470 2,220 2,407 187 8% 9%
43-4051 Customer service representatives 1,586 1,697 2,000 303 18% 7%
First-line supervisors/managers of
43-1011 office and administrative support 1,197 1,174 1,136 -38 -3% 5%
workers
43-4131 Loan interviewers and clerks 1,030 887 798 -89 -10% 4%
11-3031 Financial managers 883 869 927 58 7% 3%
Securities, commodities, and financial
41-3031 730 779 870 91 12% 3%
services sales agents
Total 14,159 15,929 17,273 1,344 8% 64%

56
Appendix I: Financial Services

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Bookkeeping, accounting, and audit-
43-3031 671 778 813 35 4% 3%
ing clerks
13-2099 Financial specialists, all other 417 441 469 28 6% 2%
43-3011 Bill and account collectors 370 437 486 49 11% 2%
13-2041 Credit analysts 266 272 267 -5 -2% 1%
13-2051 Financial analysts 211 235 272 37 16% 1%
Total 14,159 15,929 17,273 1,344 8% 64%

Figure i.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Financial Services Occupations

Title
100

90 90

80 79 79
75 76
71 73 74
70 70 70
66 66
63 64 64
68 63 63 62 63
60 60 61
61 57 59
57 54 54 57
50 55 51 52 56 53
48 51 50
47 47 46
47 45
42
40 39

30
22
20

10

0
English Language
Personal Service

Monitoring

Expression
Critical Thinking

Oral Expression

Reasoning
Comprehension

Comprehension

Comprehension
Speaking
Active Listening
Economics and
Mathematics

Deductive
Clerical
Customer and

Written
Accounting

Reading

Written
Oral

57
Appendix I: Financial Services

Figure i.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Financial Services Occupations, Group One

Figure i.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Financial Services Occupations, Group Two

58
Appendix J: Business Services

Appendix J: Business Services

This appendix includes analysis for the business services industry group and subsequent focus occupations. Box and
whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational groups are also
provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
Administrative management consult-
541611 13,195 15,270 20,653 5,383 35% $79,863
ing services
541613 Marketing consulting services 1,942 3,515 4,869 1,354 39% $59,494
Process and logistics consulting
541614 726 944 1,263 319 34% $68,324
services
541620 Environmental consulting services 995 1,046 1,098 52 5% $68,532
541690 Other technical consulting services 305 742 1,266 524 71% $69,454
551114 Managing offices 13,554 30,373 34,412 4,039 13% $108,331
561110 Office administrative services 3,936 4,694 5,735 1,041 22% $47,633
Total 34,653 56,584 69,297 12,713 22% $90,667

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
13-1111 Management analysts 3,380 5,940 6,863 923 16% 10%
Executive secretaries and administra-
43-6011 1,098 1,898 2,412 514 27% 3%
tive assistants
43-4051 Customer service representatives 1,020 1,696 2,286 590 35% 3%
13-2011 Accountants and auditors 863 1,672 2,178 506 30% 3%
Total 9,145 15,688 19,300 3,612 23% 28%

59
Appendix J: Business Services

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Bookkeeping, accounting, and audit-
43-3031 843 1,576 1,879 303 19% 3%
ing clerks
43-9061 Office clerks, general 917 1,290 1,538 248 19% 2%
19-3021 Market research analysts 569 831 1,115 284 34% 1%
Employment, recruitment, and place-
13-1071 455 785 1,029 244 31% 1%
ment specialists
Total 9,145 15,688 19,300 3,612 23% 28%

Figure j.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Business Services Occupations

Title
90
85
80 81
77 77 77
74 73
70 72 72
66 70
66 65 64 66
64 63 64
60 65 62
58 61 60 61 59
56 58 55 57
54 54 56 55
50 48 53 50 48
48
42 41 41 41 45
40 39 39

30

20

10

0
English Language
Personal Service

Expression
Critical Thinking

Oral Expression

Reasoning
Comprehension

Comprehension

Comprehension
Active Listening
Computers and

Management

Active Learning
Mathematics

Deductive
Clerical

Customer and

Written
Electronics

Reading

Time

Written
Oral

Figure j.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Business Services Occupations, Group One

60
Appendix J: Business Services

Figure j.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Business Services Occupations, Group Two

61
Appendix K: Consumer Services (Green Potential)

Appendix K: Consumer
Services (Green Potential)

This appendix includes analysis for the consumer services (green potential) industry group and subsequent focus occupa-
tions. Box and whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational
groups are also provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
Exterminating and pest control
561710 418 414 451 37 9% $47,109
services
561720 Janitorial services 15,808 16,548 18,624 2,076 13% $17,296
561730 Landscaping services 11,353 13,938 17,257 3,319 24% $36,235
Carpet and upholstery cleaning
561740 808 662 622 -40 -6% $31,673
services
Other services to buildings and
561790 1,537 1,933 2,563 630 33% $31,673
dwellings
Total 29,924 33,495 39,518 6,022 18% $26,659

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Janitors and cleaners, except maids
37-2011 11,440 11,609 12,577 968 8% 35%
and housekeeping cleaners
Landscaping and groundskeeping
37-3011 7,284 9,399 11,896 2,497 27% 28%
workers
First-line supervisors/managers of
37-1011 1,758 1,923 2,305 382 20% 6%
housekeeping and janitorial workers
37-2012 Maids and housekeeping cleaners 1,160 1,361 1,748 387 28% 4%
Total 22,722 25,508 29,967 4,458 17% 76%

62
Appendix K: Consumer Services (Green Potential)

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and
37-3012 508 636 768 132 21% 2%
applicators, vegetation
37-2021 Pest control workers 348 330 390 60 18% 1%
Maintenance and repair workers,
49-9042 224 250 282 32 13% 1%
general
Total 22,722 25,508 29,967 4,458 17% 76%

Figure k.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Consumer Services Occupations

Title
80

73
70
64 67
64 63 63
62
60
57 57 53
56 54 55 55
52 52
50
51 51 45
49 44 49 47
41 46 42
40 42 42 42
39 38
38 38 34 34 36 36
32
30 30
27 27

20 21 22
17 19

10

0
Coordination
Mechanical
Personal Service

Oral Expression
Education and

Sensitivity
Extent Flexibility
Comprehension

Comprehension

Trunk Strength
Active Listening

Equipment
Chemistry

Management
Public Safety and

Problem
Selection
Customer and

Training

Reading

Time
Security

Oral

Figure k.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Consumer Services Occupations, Group One

63
Appendix K: Consumer Services (Green Potential)

Figure k.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Consumer Services Occupations, Group Two

64
Appendix L: Other Consumer Services

Appendix L: Other Consumer

Services

This appendix includes analysis for the other consumer services industry group and subsequent focus occupations. Box
and whisker plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational groups are
also provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
Continuing care retirement
623311 2,981 4,812 6,620 1,808 38% $28,462
communities
623312 Homes for the elderly 4,827 6,193 8,631 2,438 39% $23,630
624120 Services for the elderly and disabled 7,540 9,368 9,282 -86 -1% $16,660
624190 Other individual and family services 4,170 6,885 10,229 3,344 49% $27,401
Total 19,518 27,258 34,762 7,504 28% $23,040

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
39-9021 Personal and home care aides 2,872 3,998 4,313 315 8% 15%
31-1011 Home health aides 2,879 3,944 5,111 1,167 30% 14%
Nursing aides, orderlies, and
31-1012 1,925 2,440 3,059 619 25% 9%
attendants
21-1093 Social and human service assistants 491 985 1,565 580 59% 4%
Child, family, and school social
21-1021 477 767 1,046 279 36% 3%
workers
Total 9,774 13,650 17,011 3,361 25% 50%

65
Appendix L: Other Consumer Services

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
29-1111 Registered nurses 490 611 784 173 28% 2%
Licensed practical and licensed voca-
29-2061 379 453 560 107 24% 2%
tional nurses
Social and community service
11-9151 261 452 573 121 27% 2%
managers
Total 9,774 13,650 17,011 3,361 25% 50%

Figure l.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Other Consumer Services Occupations

Title
100

90 89
80 82
80 80 77
72 72 73 72
70
68 68
64 61 64 64
67 61
60 61
58
61 59
58 57 57 54 56
50 53 52 52
48 53
46 46 45 46
49 44 45
45 41
40 40
35
30
25 25
20

10 12

0
Perceptiveness
English Language
Personal Service

Therapy and

Oral Expression
Education and

Sensitivity
Comprehension

Comprehension

Comprehension
Speaking
Active Listening

Orientation

Recognition
Psychology

Problem
Counseling
Customer and

Service

Speech
Training

Reading

Written
Social

Oral

66
Appendix L: Other Consumer Services

Figure l.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Other Consumer Services Occupations, Group One

Figure l.3: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Other Consumer Services Occupations, Group Two

67
Appendix M: K-12 Education

Appendix M: K-12 Education

This appendix includes analysis for the education industry group and subsequent focus occupations. Box and whisker
plot charts and radar charts showing the distribution of the top KSAs for specific occupational groups are also provided.

Industry Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % 2009 EPW
NAICS Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change
611110 Elementary and secondary schools 10,291 12,843 14,647 1,804 14% $26,492
Total 10,291 12,843 14,647 1,804 14% $26,492

Occupation Trends & Projections

09-'19 09-'19 % % of
SOC Code Description 2001 Jobs 2009 Jobs 2019 Jobs Change Change Industry
Elementary school teachers, except
25-2021 1,958 2,370 2,820 450 19% 18%
special education
25-9041 Teacher assistants 1,180 1,483 1,656 173 12% 12%
Secondary school teachers, except
25-2031 1,153 1,418 1,587 169 12% 11%
special and vocational education
Middle school teachers, except special
25-2022 1,012 1,288 1,493 205 16% 10%
and vocational education
Total 5,302 6,559 7,556 997 15% 51%

68
Appendix M: K-12 Education

Figure m.1: Distribution of Top 15 KSA Values for Education Occupations

Title
100

90 89
84
82 80 79 83
80 81
74 74 76
73 71
70 70 68 68
65 64 67 59
59 63 59 59
60 57 58 55
57 57 54
55 56 53 56 54 55 52
50 52 50
46 48 46 55 50 46
45
40

30

20

10

0
Perceptiveness
English Language

Monitoring

Oral Expression
Education and

Comprehension

Comprehension
Speech Clarity
Active Listening
Instructing

Recognition
Mathematics
Psychology

Geography

Strategies
Learning

Speech
Training

Written
Social

Oral
Figure m.2: Top 15 KSA Values for Individual Education Occupations, Group One

69
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

Appendix N: Current Job

Openings (July 2009) by
Target Occupation

Key for Education Levels in table below:

Educational Level Abbreviation

Career/ Technical Occupations, (2-years or less)

Short-term on-the-job training ST OJT
Moderate-term on-the-job training MT OJT
Long-term on-the-job training LT OJT
Work experience in a related field Exp. In field
Postsecondary vocational award PSV
Associate’s degree Assoc.
Advanced Training Occupations, (4 or more years)
Bachelor’s degree Bach.
Degree plus work experience Deg. + exp.
Master’s degree Master’s
Doctoral degree Doc.
First professional degree Prof.

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
17-2141 Mechanical engineers 76 Baxter Round Lake, IL 3,156 $31.44 Bach.
TechStaff of Milwaukee, New Berlin, WI
Inc.

Delta Gurnee, IL
Aerotek CE Milwaukee, WI

70
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
41-4011 Sales representatives, 37 Quintiles Transnational Milwaukee, WI 6,596 $35.12 MT OJT
wholesale and manufactur-
ing, technical and scientific
products
ConMed Electrosurgery Milwaukee, WI
Sanofi-Aventis Milwaukee, WI
Advocate Medical Ser- Milwaukee, WI
vices, Inc.
41-4012 Sales representatives, 183 Riverwoods, IL 19,166 $28.36 MT OJT
wholesale and manufactur-
ing, except technical and
scientific products
Dell Inc. Buffalo Grove, IL
TDS Vernon Hills, IL
Liberty Mutual Grayslake, IL
51-1011 First-line supervisors/man- 154 GE Technology Barrington, IL 11,646 $18.03 MT OJT
agers of production and Infrastructure
operating workers
Pentair Brookfield, IL
Spring Valley Milwaukee, WI
49-9042 Maintenance and repair 67 AvalonBay Arlington Heights, IL 9,206 $26.44 Exp. on field
workers, general
Army National Guard Racine, WI
Sodexo Crystal Lake, IL
51-2092 Team assemblers 14 Northwestern Mutual Milwaukee, WI 16,962 $12.82 MT OJT
Adecco Waukegan, IL
CDN Logistics, Inc. Racine, WI
51-4011 Computer-controlled 16 DuraColor Racine, WI 4,466 $16.98 MT OJT
machine tool operators,
metal and plastic
Argus Technical Services Grafton, WI
Express Employment Franksville, WI
Professionals
Career Source Spring Grove, IL
51-4031 Cutting, punching, and press 11 Executive Consulting Inc. Milwaukee, WI 5,106 $14.78 MT OJT
machine setters, operators,
and tenders, metal and
plastic
Crown Services Milwaukee, WI
QPS Companies Racine, WI
John Crane Inc. Morton Grove, IL

71
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
51-4041 Machinists 24 American Technical Milwaukee, WI 9,251 $18.07 LT OJT
Services
Solo Cup Corporation Lincolnshire, IL
Executive Consulting Inc. Milwaukee, WI
Aerotek Consulting Inc. Milwaukee, WI
51-4121 Welders, cutters, solderers, 14 Darien, WI 4,884 $16.46 LT OJT
and brazers
QTI Group New Berlin, WI
QPS Companies Racine, WI
SITE Staffing, Inc. Oak Creek, WI
51-9061 Inspectors, testers, sorters, 17 EcoLab Lincolnshire, IL 11,179 $14.14 MT OJT
samplers, and weighers
American Technical Milwaukee, WI
Services
Randstad Buffalo Grove, IL
Kelly Services Buffalo Grove, IL
51-9111 Packaging and filling 20 Metalex Libertyville, IL 4,107 $12.23 ST OJT
machine operators and
tenders
Valspar Wheeling, IL
MABIS DMI Healthcare Waukegan, IL
Staffing Partners Oak Creek, WI
53-7051 Industrial truck and tractor 7 Waste Management Grayslake, IL 6,481 $14.55 ST OJT
operators Frontline
Randstad Rolling Meadows, IL
Spherion Staffing Services Milwaukee, WI
Staff Force Lake Zurich, IL
53-7064 Packers and packagers, hand 10 Volt Workforce Solutions Milwaukee, WI 9,628 $9.63 ST OJT
Avon Morton Grove, IL
Adecco Waukesha, WI
Resources Milwaukee, WI
Staffing
Service Occupations
11-3031 Financial managers 226 Leading Bank Gurnee, IL 5,298 $39.29 Deg. + exp.
JP Morgan Chase Kenosha, WI
Associated Bank Richmond, IL
Lundbeck Inc. Crystal Lake, IL

72
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
13-1199 Business operation special- 44 ACCO Brands Lincolnshire, IL 12,482 $26.00 Bach.
ists, all other
Boucher Automotive Milwaukee, WI
Group
Corporate Finance and Lake County, IL
Administration
Unitech Solutions Lake Forest, IL
25-2021 Elementary school teachers, 6 La Causa, Inc. Milwaukee, WI 16,535 $32.06 Bach.
except special education
WyzAnt Tutoring Milwaukee, WI
Business and Economics Milwaukee, WI
Academy of Milwaukee
Palmyra-Eagle Area Palmyra, WI
School District
25-2031 Secondary school teachers, 18 The Prairie School Racine, WI 8,772 $35.26 Bach.
except special and voca-
tional education
Northern Ozaukee School Fredonia, WI
District
West Bend School District West Bend, WI
25-9041 Teacher assistants 13 Milwaukee Center For Milwaukee, WI 10,892 $14.03 ST OJT
Independence
Northern Suburban Spe- Highland Park, IL
cial Educ. Dist.
Solomon Schechter Day Skokie, IL
School
31-1011 Home health aides 38 Gentiva Health Services Racine, WI 8,671 $10.43 ST OJT
Froedtert Hospital Milwaukee, W
HCR ManorCare Brookfield, WI
37-2011 Janitors and cleaners, except 48 Midwestern Regional Zion, IL 21,051 $10.11 ST OJT
maids and housekeeping Medical Center
cleaners
HCR ManorCare Rolling Meadows, IL
KleenMark Milwaukee, WI
YMCA of Metropolitan Burlington, WI
Chicago
37-2019 Building cleaning workers, 6 FISH Window Cleaning Menomonee Falls 2,782 $8.09 ST OJT
all other
KleenMark Milwaukee, WI
Staffing Partners Oak Creek, WI
37-3011 Landscaping and grounds- 5 Milwaukee County Milwaukee, WI 11,797 $11.06 ST OJT
keeping workers

73
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
Milwaukee Brewers Base- Milwaukee, WI
ball Club
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Waukesha, WI
Company
United Hospital System, Pleasant Prairie, WI
Inc.
39-9021 Personal and home care 82 HOME INSTEAD SENIOR Crystal Lake, IL 7,855 $9.68 ST OJT
aides CARE
Visiting Angels Crystal Lake, IL
Right At Home Kenosha, WI
Elizabeth Residence Franklin, WI
43-1011 First-line supervisors/man- 38 Atlas Preparatory Milwaukee, WI 11,120 $21.14 Exp. In field
agers of office and adminis- Academy
trative support workers
Lockheed Martin Great Lakes, IL
Corporation
Robert W. Baird & Co. Milwaukee, WI
Medline Industries, Inc. Mundelein, IL
43-3031 Bookkeeping, accounting, 69 Value Discount Flooring Richmond, IL 17,253 $15.09 MT OJT
and auditing clerks
Waukegan, IL
Cullen-Ehrens, Inc. Rolling Meadows, IL
Rockwell Automation Milwaukee, WI
43-4051 Customer service 496 Northwestern Mutual Franklin, WI 22,603 $15.49 MT OJT
representatives
National City Buffalo Grove, IL
Siemens Building Buffalo Grove, IL
Technologies
Fifth Third Bank Lake Forest, IL
43-6011 Executive secretaries and 143 Honeywell Oak Creek, WI 14,613 $18.18 MT OJT
administrative assistants
Pharmaceutical Products Lake County, IL
Group
U.S. Bank Milwaukee, WI
Baxter Vernon Hills, IL
19-2031 Chemists 35 Kelly Services Oak Creek, WI 1,163 $29.59 Bachelor's
degree
Abbot Laboratories Lake County, IL
Global Pharmaceuticals Lake County, IL
Operations
Argus Technical Services Oak Creek, WI

74
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
51-9023 Mixing and blending 2 Personnel Evaluation, Inc. West Allis, WI 1,937 $16.19 MT OJT
machine setters, operators,
and tenders
Crown Services Milwaukee, WI
Plastics Mfg.
51-4072 Molding, coremaking, and 2 Manpower Libertyville, IL 4,261 $13.85 MT OJT
casting machine setters,
operators, and tenders,
metal and plastic
SourcePoint Staffing Milwaukee, WI
Industrial Machinery Mfg.
51-2031 Engine and other machine 0 1,023 $16.05 ST OJT
assemblers
17-3013 Mechanical drafters 1 Impact Engineering Milwaukee, WI 1,556 $23.14 Postsecond-
Solutions ary voca-
tional award
17-2112 Industrial engineers 53 Axelon Services Corp. Barrington, IL 3,710 $32.46 Bach.
Accellent Wheeling, IL
GE Energy Wauwatosa, WI
53-7062 Laborers and freight, stock, 34 APL Sturtevant, WI 25,487 $11.37 ST OJT
and material movers, hand
Staples Oak Creek, WI
Alexian Brothers Health Arlington Heights, IL
System
Advanced Electronic Systems and Components Mfg.
51-2022 Electrical and electronic 5 Express Employment Racine, WI 4,585 $12.95 ST OJT
equipment assemblers Services
Aerotek Milwaukee, WI
Volt Services group Menomonee Falls,
WI
17-2072 Electronics engineers, 10 Generac Power Systems Waukesha, WI 1,432 $35.23 Bach.
except computer
Johnson Controls Milwaukee, WI
Top Echelon Network Milwaukee, WI
51-2011 Aircraft structure, sur- 0 256 $18.18 LT OJT
faces, rigging, and systems
assemblers
51-2093 Timing device assemblers, 1 WFA Staffing Brookfield, WI 151 $17.00 MT OJT
adjusters, and calibrators
17-3023 Electrical and electronic 9 Round Lake, IL 1,941 $22.17 Assoc.
engineering technicians

75
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
Baxter Round Lake, IL
Cooper Industries, Inc. Franksville, WI
EYESthere Milwaukee, WI
51-9141 Semiconductor processors 0 214 $14.13 Assoc.
17-2071 Electrical engineers 44 Goodrich Corporation Barrington, IL 1,687 $34.76 Bach.
TechStaff of Milwaukee, Barrington, IL
Inc.
Johnson Controls Waukesha, WI
Otto Carpentersville, IL
51-2023 Electromechanical equip- 1 SEEK Careers Milwaukee, WI 1,304 $14.48 ST OJT
ment assemblers
15-1031 Computer software engi- 233 Kforce Brookfield, WI 3,217 $25.44 Bach.
neers, applications
Baxter Round Lake, IL 5,317 $34.21 Bach.
Vail Systems Deerfield, IL
Paradigm Technology Bannockburn, IL
15-1032 Computer software engi- 37 Sun Solaris Lincolnshire, IL 3,109 $35.60 Bach.
neers, systems software
Request Technology, LLC Prospect Heights, IL
Quest Software, Inc. Buffalo Grove, IL
17-2061 Computer hardware 3 Adecco Menomonee Falls, 612 $41.27 Bach.
engineers WI
Rockwell Automation Milwaukee, WI
Financial Services
43-3071 Tellers 69 US Bank Greenfield, WI 7,357 $11.21 ST OJT
Park Bank Brookfield, WI
Citizens Financial Group Mount Prospect, IL
13-2072 Loan officers 38 Fiserv Brookfield, WI 3,217 $25.44 Bach.
Marshall & Ilsley Corp. Brown Deer, WI
America's Mortgage Banc, Milwaukee, WI
Inc.
43-4131 Loan interviewers and clerks 2 Accountemps Pewaukee, WI 2,137 $17.09 ST OJT
13-2051 Financial analysts 162 Wolters Kluwer Riverwoods, IL
Hewitt Associates Lincolnshire, IL
Wachovia Corp. Deerfield, IL
13-2041 Credit analysts 2 Bosch Mount Prospect, IL 666 $22.51 Bach.
43-3011 Bill and Account Collectors 14 All Saints Healthcare Racine, WI 3,388 $14.85 ST OJT

76
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
Case Law Firm, S.C. Milwaukee, WI
41-3031 Securities, commodities, 36 Chase Professionals Arlington Heights, IL 6,687 $19.64 Bach
and financial services sales
agents
Cross-Post Northbrook, IL
The Perlson Group S.C. Milwaukee, WI
Business Services
13-2011 Accountants and auditors 898 Cybercoders.com Des Plaines, IL 15,217 $24.35 Bach.
WestingHouse Corp. Lake Bluff, IL
Stericycle Lake Forest, IL
Covidien Crystal Lake, IL
43-9061 Office clerks, general 112 AlliedBarton Security Waukesha, WI 28,186 $12.45 ST OJT
Services
Lakeshore Medical Clinic Franklin, WI
Merrill Lynch Northbrook, IL
13-1071 Employment, recruitment, 35 Kelly Services Milwaukee, WI 2,993 $20.91 Bach.
and placement specialists
Family First Mount Prospect, IL
19-3021 Market research analysts 33 GE Milwaukee, WI 3,252 $27.69 Bach.
Econsultamerica Milwaukee, WI
13-1111 Management analysts 140 Deloitte Milwaukee, WI 7,193 $23.22 Deg. + exp.
David's Bridal Brookfield, WI
Siemens Waukesha, WI
Consumer Services, (Green Potential)
37-2012 Maids and housekeeping 43 WFH- Franciscan Woods Brookfield, WI 14,008 $8.42 ST OJT
cleaners
Interstate Hotels & Milwaukee, WI
Resorts
37-1011 First-line supervisors/man- 1 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 2,981 $13.61 Exp. In field
agers of housekeeping and
janitorial workers
37-3011 Landscaping and grounds- 2 Wisconsin Gov't Walworth, WI 14,540 $10.89 ST OJT
keeping workers
Milwaukee County Milwaukee, WI
37-2021 Pest control workers 4 Terminix Glenview, IL 337 $11.35 MT OJT

77
Appendix N: Current Job Openings (July 2009) by Target Occupation

SOC Description # of Sample of Employers Location 2009 Avg. Avg. Educa-

Postings Jobs Wages tional Level
37-3012 Pesticide handlers, sprayers, 0 626 $9.55 MT OJT
and applicators, vegetation
53-7081 Refuse and recyclable mate- 0 1,723 $23.73 ST OJT
rial collectors
Other Consumer Services
29-1111 Registered nurses 2,300 WFH- Elmbrook Memorial Brookfield, WI 26,310 $29.72 Assoc.
Hospital
ProHealth Care Oconomowoc, WI
Overbee Trans. Whitewater, WI
Columbia-St. Mary's Milwaukee, WI
29-2061 Licensed practical and 55 Lexington Healthcare Wheeling, IL 5,292 $21.14 PSV
licensed vocational nurses
All Saints Healthcare Racine, WI
Golden Living Greendale, WI
21-1093 Social and human service 0 3,088 $13.86 MT OJT
assistants
21-1021 Child, family, and school 8 Hewitt Associates Lincolnshire, IL 2,795 $21.02 Bach.
social workers
Glenkirk Northbrook, IL
31-1012 Nursing aides, orderlies, and 110 WFH- All Saints Racine, WI 16,116 $12.07 PSV
attendants
Midwest Orthopedics Franklin, WI
Froedtert Hospital Milwaukee, WI
11-9151 Social and community ser- 30 Crawford & Company Vernon Hills, IL 1,194 $17.83 Bach.
vice managers
ASPS Arlington Heights, IL
YWCA Lake County Lake County, IL
K-12 Education
25-2022 Middle school teachers, 1 St. Sava Orthodox School Milwaukee, WI 7,791 $31.97 Bach.
except special and voca-
tional education
25-3099 Teachers and instructors, all 10 ITT Educational Services, Mount Prospect, IL 5,939 $24.06 Bach.
other Inc.
Harper College Palatine, IL

78