System-Level Accountability Scorecard
Assessments: Progress toward Implementing the Strategic Plan

High Quality Learning Programs & Services Indicator 9: Program Development - Programs are responsive to current and future market needs.

Measure 9A: Program Planning Gap Analysis

Definition: Measure 9A reports the gap between the labor market supply in academic program areas and labor demand in occupational areas related to these programs (click here for a short list of Program Planning Gap Analysis Definitions). Academic programs are identified by the national Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) taxonomy and occupations are based on the national Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). For analysis purposes, one or more academic programs and one or more occupations have been directly linked to each other. The resulting set of programs and occupations is called a “unit of analysis”. The gap is the differencve between labor market supply and demand, computed as: (Unemployed + Completers) minus (Job Vacancies + Average Annual Growth + Average Annual Replacement Openings). For the currently reported data, unemplyed supply and job vacancy demand data are from 4th quarter 2003 and 2nd quarter 2004, while completer supply is from fiscal year 2002. The numerator of the reported measure is the number of units of analysis in which there is a labor market shortage, surplus, or parity (with parity defined as a labor market supply within plus-or-minus 5 percent of labor market demand). The denominator is the total number of units of analysis (N=221). To ensure optimal statistical validity and practical meaningfulness, units of analysis with a labor market demand of less than 20 are exlcuded from the denominator, as are units where the System is not authorized to provide training (e.g., medical doctors) (click here for a printer friendly PDF copy of this page).

Significance: Measure 9A is signficant in that it indicates the extent to which colleges and universities are aligning instructional programs and providing an educated workforce to meet the needs of Minnesota employers.

Measure: With parity defined as a labor supply within plus-or-minus 5 percent of labor market demand, 48 percent of the units of analysis are in shortage, 48 percent are in surplus and 4 percent are in parity, as shown in Figure 9A-1. Figure 9A-2 displays a frequency distribution of the size of the gaps (supply minus demand), with each bar representing a unit of analysis.

Further Drill Downs:

The following link will open a new window that contains additional drill down information about Measure 9A: Drill Down Shortages.

PowerPoint:

Data:

Technical Specs: