This paper aims to provide metro, state, and national policy makers with a better sense
of the specific problems facing metropolitan labor markets. First, the analysis
examines trends in the demand
for educated labor and how a gap between education supply and demand is related to unemployment.
Next, it attempts to distinguish between cyclical and structural effects before turning
to an explanation of how an education gap might affect both by limiting job creation. It concludes
with a discussion of the implications of these findings for public policy.
Use our interactive application below for metro-level data on supply of educated labor, employer demand for skilled workers, and other economic trends affecting unemployment rates.
