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Wyoming Department of Workforce Services

Research & Planning
444 W. Collins Dr.
Suite 3100
Casper, WY 82601
(307) 473-3807

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"Labor Market Information (LMI) is an applied science; it is the systematic collection and analysis of data which describes and predicts the relationship between labor demand and supply." The States' Labor Market Information Review, ICESA, 1995, p. 7.

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Research & Planning Staff

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Carola Cowan, Bureau of Labor Statistics Programs Supervisor

Telephone: (307) 473-3804
Fax: (307) 473-3834
E-mail: carola.cowan@wyo.gov

In 1994, Carola received her Associates degree in Business Administration from Casper College. She was then awarded a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1996 and a Masters of Business Administration in 1998 from the University of Wyoming. She received an associate's degree in statistics from Casper College in 2009.

Carola started out in R&P in 1997 assigning Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes to new employers and assisting with the Annual Refiling Survey (ARS). She worked on developing and administering the Wyoming Employee Benefits Survey from 1998 to 2005. In April 2000, she became lead worker for industry coding and checked other coders' work for accuracy and consistency. In 2004, Carola took over the Annual Refiling Survey. Carola has also worked on Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates and has been involved in the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) and the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) programs. In addition, she has presented the Employee Benefits Survey in Labor Market Information Training offered to other state agency employees and external customers and has also trained R&P and Department of Revenue staff in industry coding, including developing the training material. Carola also serves on the National Industry Coding Team.

Carola has been the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Programs Supervisor since June 2005 and is now responsible for overseeing the QCEW, CES, OES, LAUS, OSH, and CFOI programs.

Bibliography

Labor Market Research

Wyoming Labor Force Trends

Cowan, C. (2022, September). Labor Force, Unemployment Rate Decline in 2021. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, September 2022. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2020, April). Wyoming Labor Force Increases in 2019. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, April 2017. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2017, April). NAICS 2017: Changes to Selected Industry Classification. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, April 2017. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2016, December). Coal Production and its Relationship to Railroad Employment. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, December 2016. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2016, August). Non-Carbon Mining: An Important Part of Wyoming's Economy. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, August 2016. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2013, April). Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization and the Recession. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, April 2013. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2012, October). Will Wyoming’s Unemployment Rate Return to 2008 Levels by the End of 2012? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, October 2012. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2012, September). 2008 CFOI Fatality Rates: Accuracy vs. Timeliness. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, September 2012. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2011, January). Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization Revisited. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, January 2011. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2010, March). Ask an Economist: What Are Smoothed Seasonally Adjusted Estimates? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, March 2010. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2009, December). Year-end Review of Wyoming's Labor Market 2009.Wyoming Labor Force Trends, December 2009. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2009, August). Alternative Measures of Labor Utilization. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, August 2009. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2008, July). Ask an Economist: Why doesn't Research & Planning publish more county level data? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, July 2008. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2007, August). Staffing Patterns in the Technology Industries. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, August 2007. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2006, July). How Safe Are Wyoming Industries? Comparisons to National Averages. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, July 2006. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2004, September). Reasons Why Employers May or May Not Provide Health Insurance Benefits. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, September 2004. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2003, November). Employee Benefits in Wyoming: 2002. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, November 2003. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2003, February). Health Insurance Coverage in the United States. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, February 2003. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2003). Employee Benefits in Wyoming: 2001. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, 2003. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2002, March). The Relationship between Benefit Costs, Benefits Offered, and Industry. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, March 2002. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2001). Employee Benefits Survey 2000. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, 2001. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2000, December). Compensation Costs in Wyoming. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, December 2000. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (2000, August). Employee Benefits Survey: Compensation Revisited. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, August 2000. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (1999, October). Employee Benefits Survey: A Pilot Study for Wyoming. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, October 1999. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (1998, August). Wage Rate Increases of the Top and Bottom 20 Percent of Wages. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, August 1998. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C. (1998, May). Manufacturing Industry: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, May 1998. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Carola's joint Trends articles are:

Bullard, D., Cowan, C. (2016, April). Wyoming Workforce Planning Report 2016. Chapter 3: What Does Wyoming's Unemployment Rate Really Mean? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, April 2016. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C. (2016, February). Current Population Survey Estimates for Wyoming: What Does the State's Unemployment Rate Really Mean? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, February 2016. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Hammer, L. (2015, April). Understanding How Commuting Flows and Job Losses in Other States Could Affect Wyoming's Unemployment Rate. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, April 2015. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C. (2008, May). Ask an Economist: From December 2007 to January 2008, the state's unemployment rate fell, and yet at the same time we lost 6,500 jobs. Don't these two statements contradict each other? Wyoming Labor Force Trends, May 2008. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C., S. Jones, L. Knapp, D. Leonard, S. Saulcy (2008, March). Nurses in Demand: A Statement of the Problem. Wyoming Labor Force Trends, March 2008. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C., Davis, V., Saulcy, S (2006, September). A Discussion of Highway Accident Data Collection and Statistics. September 2006. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C., Hauf, D (2005, June). Wages and Benefits in Wyoming. June 2005. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Cowan, C., Davis, V., Hauf, D, Leonard, D. (2005, January). Wages and Benefits in Wyoming. January 2005. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

 

Other Publications:

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Glover, T., Halama, M., Knapp, L., McGrath, C., Moore, M., Wen, S., and Yetter, L. (2023, June). 2023 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Glover, T., Halama, M., Knapp, L., McGrath, C., Moore, M., Wen, S., and Yetter, L. (2022, June). 2022 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Glover, T., Halama, M., Knapp, L., Kofoed, A., McGrath, C., Moore, M., Wen, S., and Yetter, L. (2021, June). 2021 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Faler, K., Glover, T., Halama, M., Knapp, L., Kofoed, A., Manning, P., McGrath, C., Moore, M., and Wen, S. (2020, June). 2020 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Ellsworth, P., Faler, K., Glover, T., Halama, M., Knapp, L., Manning, P., McGrath, C., Moore, M., and Wen, S. (2019, June). 2019 Wyoming Workforce Annual Report. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Faler, K., Glover, T., Halama, M., Knapp, L., Manning, P., Mohondro, L., Moore, M., & Wen, S. (2018, June). Wyoming Workforce Annual Report 2018. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Faler, K., Gallagher, T. ,Glover, T., Halama, M., Harris, P., Knapp, L., Manning, P., Mohondro, L., Moore, M., & Wen, S. (2018, June). Wyoming Workforce Planning Report 2016. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Ellsworth, P., Faler, K., Glover, T., Hammer, L., Holmes, M., Knapp, L., Manning, P., Moore, M., & Wen, S. (2015, May). Wyoming Workforce Annual Report 2015. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Ellsworth, P., Glover, T., Harris, P., Holmes, M., Knapp, L., Manning, P., Moore, M., & Wen, S. (2014, June). Wyoming Workforce Annual Report 2014. Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, Research & Planning, Casper, WY.

Bullard, D., Cowan, C., Glover, W., Knapp, L., Leonard, D. W., Saulcy, S., & Wen, S. (2010, May). Wyoming Workforce Annual Report 2010. Casper, WY: Research & Planning.

Since joining R&P, Carola has attended many training classes and workshops including:

  • QCEW Overview Workshop
  • Advanced NAICS Seminar
  • CES Estimation
  • Advanced NAICS Seminar
  • Beginning and Intermediate SPSS
  • Web Design and HTML Authoring
  • Labor Force Programs Overview
  • OES Overview
  • Survey Research using SPSS
  • CES Workshop
  • CES Redesign
  • LAUS Overview
  • LAUS Model
  • PROMIS
  • LAUS Operational
  • Areas of Substantial Unemployment
  • BED training