Virginia's Career and Workforce Labor Market Information

Publications

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient 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 product 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.

Career Quarterly Newsletter
September 2024

The Career Quarterly Newsletter provides articles about occupational activity in Virginia, career planning, job seeker advice, and more.

Interview Tips Poster
February 2024

 This poster gives helpful tips for preparing for interviews. It is 11" x 17" (tabloid) and can be downloaded and printed.

Pocket Resume
January 2024

The Pocket Resume is a PDF form you can fill out with your education, work history, and references, print, cut and fold. This is a handy resource that you can quickly reference when filling out a job application or preparing for a job interview.

Exploring Your Career Options - Career Guide Handouts
January 2024

The six Career Guide Handouts will help you discover your career interests by learning about career clusters, different careers inside those career clusters, education and skills needed, and how to further research a career you might be interested in pursuing. These Handouts are designed especially for students in grades 5 - 8. UPDATED (1/2024) with latest wage data.

What Do I Want to Do When I Grow Up? - Elementary School Level Career Activity Worksheets
January 2024

This publication is designed to help young students get a very basic understanding of occupations and careers by correlating their interests with various occupations. Most of these worksheets are for grades 1 and 2, but a few worksheets are advanced enough for grade 3. You can print out and use all the worksheets, or just the ones you think are best suited to the age and skill level of your students/child. (Grades 1-3)

Job Search Tips - 5 Steps to a Successful Job Search
December 2023
A brochure that provides useful tips for each of the five steps of a successful job search: searching for job openings; tips for resumes; applying online and in-person; interviewing; and follow-up.
Virginia Occupational Career Resource Guide - 3rd Edition
August 2023

UPDATED 3rd EDITION

The Virginia Occupational Career Resource Guide is produced by Virginia Works to assist students and any other persons who are looking for information to aid them in researching and finding a new career. Information is provided on a variety of career choices, how to plan for a career, education needed to qualify for various jobs, how to apply and interview for jobs, and much more.(The 3rd edition has been updated to include the 2021-2031 occupational projections and the latest wage data from May 2021.)

STEM
April 2023

This flyer provides labor market information on the growth and wages of occupations in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). 

Understanding the Economic Signals: Are We Headed for a Recession?
August 2024
What exactly is a recession, and how do we recognize one? Economists, policymakers, and analysts rely on a range of indicators to assess the health of the economy, and while some of these alarm signals have flashed red, no big downturn has yet materialized. Are the indicators correct this time? This article explores what a recession is, the factors that could signal its onset, and whether we are on the brink of an economic downturn or merely slowing down.
Building on Virginia’s Research and Development Momentum
July 2024
Investment into research and development (R&D) is a key driver of innovation and economic growth, so recent changes to Virginia’s research and development tax credit come at a good time as the Commonwealth seeks to maintain the momentum that has propelled it to the fore in state business climate.
Grocery Store Sticker Shock, ‘Shrinkflation,’ and Virginia’s Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Producers
May 2024
Consumers across the country have experienced food cost inflation at the grocery store in recent years. Aside from rising prices for some items, others appeared to have gotten smaller or have disappeared from the shelves due to shortages or being discontinued. These are frustrating, but what is often overlooked is that they reflect the challenging conditions for the businesses that produce those goods. This article explores some of the reasons for these recent changes in Virginia's Food, Beverage, and Tobacco production.
How Wage Growth Affects Employment and Prices in Both the Short and Long Term
April 2024
Generally, wage growth is considered a good thing by most, but large increases in a relatively short amount of time can have both positive and negative impacts in both the short and long term. This article looks at the positive and negative of short and long-term impact wage growth has on employment and the economy.
Pandemic Recovery Ranking of Virginia and other States Using Labor Force Participation Rate and Unemployment Rate
April 2024

This article analyzes trends of the labor force participation rate and unemployment rate for Virginia and other states since the start of the pandemic to rank the extent of pandemic recovery of each state over the past four years.

Will Virginia’s Thriving Labor Market Maintain its Momentum this Year? Some Trends to Watch in 2024
January 2024
This article looks at possible employment trends for 2024 based on data from the previous year.
Did Virginia’s Strong Labor Market in 2023 Help It to Steer Clear of a Recession?
November 2023
This article explains how the strong labor force and employment growth in 2023 provided a needed boost to the Commonwealth’s economy.
The Impact of The Pandemic on Residential Real Estate
October 2023
Since the pandemic started in 2020, home affordability has suffered a triple whammy from three key factors – high inflation, skyrocketing home prices, and sharply rising mortgage rates. This has resulted in homes moving out of reach for the average American in almost every state, including Virginia. This article examines the post pandemic housing market.
Disabled Workers in Virginia
September 2023
This article talks about the new Virginia House Bill 1924 which outlaws the practice of hiring and paying workers with disabilities less than minimum wage.
Universal License Recognition
September 2023
This article discusses the benefits of the new policy that recognizes out-of-state occupational licenses.
Virginia Hiring Trends Shed Light on Where Female Workers Found Work In the Midst of the Pandemic
August 2023
This article looks at which industries provided the most opportunities for female workers as Virginia navigated the pandemic.
Outdoor Recreation and the Virginia Economy
July 2023
This article looks at the rise in employment within the Outdoor Recreation/Leisure & Hospitality sector and it's impact on Virginia's economy.
Was Virginia's Labor Market in 2022 as Unusual as it Seemed?
April 2023
To many Virginia employers and other observers, labor market conditions in 2022 seemed unusually tight. In this article, the beverage curve is used to illustrate the inverse relationship between the unemployment rate and the job opening rate to gage the labor market for Virginia in 2022 coming out of the pandemic.
Electric Vehicles (EV) – Are We There Yet?
December 2022
This article explores if the economy is ready for electric vehicles.
Virginia WIG Performance Report - Program Year 2020
November 2021
Workforce Information Grant, Program Year 2020 (2020-2021) is an annual report by the Economic Information & Analytics division of the Virginia Employment Commission that summarizes all programs and publications required by the Workforce Information Grant.
The Current Microchip Shortage and the Virginia Manufacturing Industries that Use Them
February 2021

This article examines the impact that the national microchip shortage is having on industries in Virginia.

Structural Unemployment: A New Measurement and Continuing Discussion of an Elusive Economic Indicator
October 2018

The aim of this paper is to spark a new debate in the literature by conceptualizing structural unemployment in a way that is more nuanced than current research suggests.

VEC analysis of Virginia BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data provides information on all pieces that go into the overall change in payroll employment in the commonwealth. These components include job openings, hires, layoffs, voluntary quits, and other job separations.
Latest Local Area Unemployment Numbers Press Release
Unemployment Press Releases

Statewide Economic Analysis Report - Program Year 2023 - 2024
October 2024

The Statewide Economic Analysis (SEA) Report is an annual product from the Virginia Employment Commission.  It explores trends in several economic indicators including labor force demographics, GDP and populations. The report provides information and analysis at both the state and local workforce development areas.

Career Quarterly Newsletter
September 2024

The Career Quarterly Newsletter provides articles about occupational activity in Virginia, career planning, job seeker advice, and more.

Interview Tips Poster
February 2024

 This poster gives helpful tips for preparing for interviews. It is 11" x 17" (tabloid) and can be downloaded and printed.

EIA Overview
January 2024
The Economic Information & Analytics (EIA) Division is one of Virginia Works operating divisions that provides labor market data for Virginia to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Governor's office, as well as other state and local workforce entities. This guide gives an overview of EIA's responsibilities for state-wide employment data collection, analysis and publications.
Pocket Resume
January 2024

The Pocket Resume is a PDF form you can fill out with your education, work history, and references, print, cut and fold. This is a handy resource that you can quickly reference when filling out a job application or preparing for a job interview.

Exploring Your Career Options - Career Guide Handouts
January 2024

The six Career Guide Handouts will help you discover your career interests by learning about career clusters, different careers inside those career clusters, education and skills needed, and how to further research a career you might be interested in pursuing. These Handouts are designed especially for students in grades 5 - 8. UPDATED (1/2024) with latest wage data.

What Do I Want to Do When I Grow Up? - Elementary School Level Career Activity Worksheets
January 2024

This publication is designed to help young students get a very basic understanding of occupations and careers by correlating their interests with various occupations. Most of these worksheets are for grades 1 and 2, but a few worksheets are advanced enough for grade 3. You can print out and use all the worksheets, or just the ones you think are best suited to the age and skill level of your students/child. (Grades 1-3)

Job Search Tips - 5 Steps to a Successful Job Search
December 2023
A brochure that provides useful tips for each of the five steps of a successful job search: searching for job openings; tips for resumes; applying online and in-person; interviewing; and follow-up.
Virginia Employment Indicators - Quarterly
December 2023

A Quarterly publication illustrating and analyzing key economic indicators including employment, unemployment, and production workers' hours and earnings.

Virginia Occupational Career Resource Guide - 3rd Edition
August 2023

UPDATED 3rd EDITION

The Virginia Occupational Career Resource Guide is produced by Virginia Works to assist students and any other persons who are looking for information to aid them in researching and finding a new career. Information is provided on a variety of career choices, how to plan for a career, education needed to qualify for various jobs, how to apply and interview for jobs, and much more.(The 3rd edition has been updated to include the 2021-2031 occupational projections and the latest wage data from May 2021.)

STEM
April 2023

This flyer provides labor market information on the growth and wages of occupations in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). 

Top 5 Industries in Virginia
June 2022

This report provide information on the top five industries within Virginia. The data within the profiles come from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program.

Top 5 Industries in Virginia -- A Quick Guide to Career Pathways
May 2022
This publication provides a quick look at the Top 5 Industries in Virginia by employment and gives a summary of the career pathways needed to gain employment in those industries.
Labor Market Information Publications Catalog
September 2020

This is a catalog showcasing our leading publications. It provides a brief synopsis of each publication to aid you in finding the right one for your needs. Whether you are a workforce professional, student, veteran, or job seeker, there is a publication for you.

Virginia Job Outlook
June 2019

Occupations projected to have the highest number of openings along with expected salaries broken down by educational attainment.