News

Louisville’s job market has been weaker than initially reported
LMI Sarah Ehresman LMI Sarah Ehresman

Louisville’s job market has been weaker than initially reported

Louisville's job market was weaker in 2025 than initially reported, with revised federal data showing 10,000 fewer jobs in the region than earlier estimates suggested. Employment fell back to 2023 levels, erasing all gains made in the first half of 2024. Healthcare was a bright spot, adding nearly 2,000 jobs, but growth in a handful of industries wasn't enough to offset broader losses.

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The living wage in Kentuckiana
LMI Sarah Ehresman LMI Sarah Ehresman

The living wage in Kentuckiana

Many workers in low-wage jobs do not earn enough to meet their basic needs in the community in which they live. Researchers at MIT developed the Living Wage Calculator using current data and covering modern-day expenses, to provide communities with an understanding of how much it costs a full-time worker to meet their basic needs. The living wage is the minimum threshold needed to maintain economic self-sufficiency without the use of public assistance programs and without facing severe housing or food insecurity.

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When the Data Can’t See the Whole Picture
Employers, LMI Aleece Smith Employers, LMI Aleece Smith

When the Data Can’t See the Whole Picture

Why can't labor market data alone solve workforce shortages? A New York Times investigation into construction shows how decades of industry change created current hiring crises that models struggle to predict. Employers see these pressures as they're happening, which is why KentuckianaWorks convenes industry advisory groups to inform workforce strategy with real-time insight the data can't yet show.

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Postsecondary Readiness in our Region: Class of 2025
LMI Sarah Ehresman LMI Sarah Ehresman

Postsecondary Readiness in our Region: Class of 2025

Ensuring high school graduates are ready for their next steps, whether that’s college, career training, or direct employment, is critical to preparing the future workforce. This article examines postsecondary readiness among the class of 2025 within the KentuckianaWorks 7-county region.

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