What is the stability of the CCEE workforce over time?

Answering this question can contribute to information on workforce retention in a state. To answer this question practitioner level data typically found in state CCEE workforce registries can be used. There are several methods that can be used to ascertain stability over time. The analysis recommendation below details some of those methods.

Practitioner workforce stability is calculated using data from the professional development registry in the state in which the practitioners are employed. Often, only a sub-set of practitioners have professional development information in their state’s Registry. This method of calculating workforce stability is specific to only those practitioners with data in a Registry system.

Workforce stability by practitioner, by year can be captured by calculating:

1. The average number of job changes practitioners made while retaining the same job title;
2. The total number and percent of practitioners that made job changes to new positions within the field; and
3. The total number and percent of practitioners that left the field

1. Calculate the average number of job changes practitioners made while retaining the same job

To calculate the number of times practitioners changed jobs but retained the same job title, perform the calculation below for each of the job roles for the data element Staff Classification. For each practitioner (Practitioner ID) in a given role, total the number of Employment Start Dates for the total number of jobs held by individual practitioners in one year. Average the number of positions per practitioner to calculate the mean for the group. Average the number of positions across each of the staff classifications for the mean for all positions. Data from previous years can be used for practitioners that report no hire or end dates in a given year. If the last reported employment date is a hire date, practitioners are assumed to be employed at the same program sites, in the same positions in each subsequent year until they report a change to their employment status. If the last reported date is an end date, the practitioner is considered to have left the field and is not included in the analysis for the year of interest.

2. Calculate the Number and Percent of Practitioners that Made Job Changes to New Positions Within the Field

Some practitioners may appear to have left the field if they report an end date but no other hire date for a position type when in actuality they have stayed in the field but moved to a different position type. Staff Classification is the primary data element used to determine when practitioners move to a different type of a position within the field. When practitioners report “Yes” to more than one classification category within a year they are considered to have moved to a different position within the field. For practitioners that report only one classification in a year, compare this to the position type from the previous year to determine if the new position is different from the previous one. Practitioners that report no hire or end dates for the year of interest are considered to be still employed in the job with the position type they last held. Total the number of practitioners that changed positions across all staff classifications and divide by the total number of practitioners for the percent of practitioners that made job changes to new position types within the field.

3. Calculate the number and percent of practitioners that left the field

To calculate the number of practitioners that left the field entirely, total the number of Employment Start Dates and Employment End Dates and subtract the total end dates from the start dates for each practitioner. Practitioners with more hire than end dates are still working in the field, while those with the same or more end than hire dates have left the field. When practitioners report no hire or end dates for the year of interest, data from previous years needs to be included in the analysis. If the last employment activity reported by a practitioner is a hire date, the practitioner is still working in the field. If the last reported employment activity is an end date, it is only included in the calculation for the year in which it occurred. Divide the total number of practitioners that left the field by the total number of practitioners in the field for the percent of practitioners that have left the field