In 2023, the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania was at 3.4 percent. This is a decrease from the previous year, when the unemployment rate was at 4.1 percent, and is down from 8.9 percent in 2020, which is the highest unemployment rate recorded since 1992.

The data represents the percent change in wages for an individual who has wages recorded in the Unemployment Compensation (UC) wage record file in the quarter in which they completed Industry Partnership training and wages found in the UC wage record file for that individual four quarters later. The change could be an increase or a decrease in wages. For example, if an individual completed training in the third quarter of 2013 and earned $5,000 in that quarter and earned $7,500 in the third quarter of 2014 the percent change for that individual would be 50%. The file incudes a count of all individuals who benefited from industry partnership training, the workforce development area of the industry partnership, the training program completed and the percentage change in wages per individual training. The top line of the file includes the overall percentage change for all trainings.

*The goal for Labor & Industry is based on receiving $10 million to fund Industry Partnerships.

This dataset is for Program Year 2013-2017 and will be updated annually due to federal release schedule. There are many reasons why an individual’s wage may have changed dramatically. Some of the reasons for negative wage changes or large increases in wages are listed below (not an exhaustive list). • An individual may have left the job, was laid off, or retired within the year after they were trained. • An individual may have become ill and left work. • An individual may have accepted a job in or moved to another state. • An individual may have been working two jobs and switched to one, or vice versa. • An individual’s hours may have been reduced/increased during a quarter. • Overtime hours may have been reduced/increased during a quarter. • An individual may have taken family leave. • A bonus could have been paid right after training was completed. • Wage records may not have been reported. • An employer may have closed and laid off all of their employees.