I-BEST Demand Data and Placement
I-BEST programs are designed to provide students with skills that are in demand in the labor force. (I-BEST stands for Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training.) Colleges are expected to provide evidence of the gap between the number of program graduates/completers versus the number of job openings locally and regionally, and then design programs that help meet the demand.
How to Calculate Market Demand
- Step1: Identify evidence of local and regional labor market demand. You can consider
a variety of resources, including traditional labor market data, industry data, trade
association data and other transactional data.
- One source of data Washington state uses is "Learn about an occupation" through the Washington State Employment Security Department. The site provides data about which occupations are in demand or decline; essential information for developing career and education pathways and plans. When you click on an occupation title you will be able to view the job description, wages, employment projections and educational requirements. This site also has a page that provides information on training programs and their number of graduates.
- Step 2: Calculate the number of projected openings minus the number of program graduates
from all programs offered in a particular region (this number also includes the number
of projected students to be served by the program).
- For example, if there are 70 projected openings and College A has 15 graduates and College B has 20 program graduates and you plan to have 20 students in your program, the gap is calculated by subtracting graduates from the projected number of openings, or 70 – (15 + 20 + 20) = 15. This means there is enough room in the labor market for your program’s graduates.
- Conversely, if there are 50 projected openings, and you subtract graduates from the projected number of openings, or 50 – (15 + 20 + 20) = - 5, there is not enough room in the labor market.
