The authors of this article make a case for using Fink's (2013) taxonomy of significant learning in the economics classroom to improve standard-based economics education and to continue transforming the discipline to reduce social inequality along multiple dimensions, including gender, race, and class. Fink's framework is defined by student…

This study snapshot presents the key findings from the full study on the alignment of middle-skill workforce supply and occupational demand across four rural regions in California to help stakeholders strengthen the economy in rural parts of the state. The four rural regions in the study are Central Valley and Mother Lode North, Central Valley and…

This report examined: (1) Supply and demand for labor in Houston and Texas, including an examination of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's (THECB) "60×30TX" strategic plan; (2) In-demand occupations and skills in the Houston area; and (3) Early career wages and unemployment receipt among high school graduates from the…

A skilled workforce is key to a thriving California economy. Strong and growing demand for highly educated workers has been a hallmark of the state's economy for decades, and forecasts show this demand continuing into the future. If current trends continue, about 40 percent of jobs in California will require at least a bachelor's degree by 2030.…

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the current status of workforce preparation in Washington; identify high employer demand occupations, as well as fields in which academic degree production is failing to keep pace with demand; and highlight occupation fields in which students may find expanding employment opportunities. This…

Post-baccalaureate education has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments of higher education. Over the past decade, master's degree enrollment in the U.S. has grown 35%--and the share of adults that hold a master's degree has gone from less than 7% to nearly 9% of the population. Keeping the supply and demand dynamics of basic economic…

In recent years concerns about inequality have been growing in prominence within UK policy debates. The many causes of inequality of earnings and income are complex in their interactions and their tendency to reinforce one another. This makes inequality an intractable or "wicked" policy problem, particularly within a contemporary context…

In the past four decades, profound changes in the U.S. economy--including falling wages, widening inequality, and the polarization of jobs at the top and bottom of the education and wage distributions--have had dramatic implications for the labor-market fortunes of young adults. Only about half of young people ages 16 to 24 held jobs in 2014, and…

It can be difficult choosing a career. When planning for the future, knowing which occupations are expected to grow--and which aren't--is valuable information. The "Occupational Outlook Handbook" (OOH), published every 2 years by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), features projections of job outlook and employment prospects. The 2012-13…

Can you name 20 influences on pay that could cause a difference in earnings between two ostensibly equal employees? This short, involving exercise can be used to illustrate the numerous influences that affect how employees' pay is determined, for example, education, experience required for the job, supply and demand, company size, seniority, and…

As they work to master the supply-and-demand model, high school economics students spend considerable time studying competitive markets for such goods as wheat, apples, and corn. They usually spend less time studying markets for labor. That is a shame, because high school students have a vital interest in understanding why some jobs pay more than…

Suggests how the classic model of overlapping contracts can be incorporated into the contract wage model of aggregate supply. Illustrates dynamics of macroeconomic adjustment following a shock to aggregate demand. Concludes that overlapping contracts do not prolong the adjustment process; rather, the longest remaining contract determines the time…

Contends that unemployment is an example of market failure. Argues that explaining unemployment from this supply-demand approach is preferable to the traditional explanation that high "real wages" are the cause. Reveals that many prominent economists entered the field because of their concern for the social problems caused by…