Day 3: DFW Labor Market Analysis
Lesson Overview
| Time | 50 minutes |
| Objectives | Analyze DFW labor market data for skilled trades; classify each trade as high-skill, high-wage, and/or high-demand with specific evidence |
| TEKS | d(5)(A), d(5)(B) |
| Deliverable | Completed Labor Market Analysis worksheet with classification and evidence for all 4 trades |
| Materials | Chromebooks, BLS OOH pages for all 4 trades, H&L DFW demand indicators, Texas Workforce Commission data, printed Labor Market Analysis worksheet, projector |
Warm-Up (5 min)
WARM-UP: If there are more job openings than available workers in a field, what happens to the salary? Why?
Discuss briefly. The economic answer: When demand exceeds supply, prices (wages) rise. This is the reason skilled trades pay well in DFW right now, the "supply" of trained workers is smaller than the "demand" for their services.
Activity 1: Teacher Modeling — Labor Market Analysis Method (10 min)
Project a blank Labor Market Analysis worksheet and model the analysis method using Electrician as the example. Walk through each data point:
- Current DFW job openings: Search Indeed or BLS for "Electrician DFW", note the approximate number (thousands of openings).
- BLS 10-year projected growth: Check the BLS Electrician page. It is typically 6-8% (faster than average).
- Median DFW salary: From H&L Hat profile or BLS ($55,000-65,000).
- Salary range (entry to experienced): Note the span ($35K entry to $85K+ experienced).
- Factors driving demand: New construction in DFW, retiring workers, the shift to electric vehicles and solar installation.
Then model the classification:
- High-skill? Yes, 4-year apprenticeship plus licensing exam plus continuing education requirements. Cite: TDLR licensing data.
- High-wage? Yes, median $60K is above the $50K DFW threshold. Cite: H&L Hat profile salary.
- High-demand? Yes, 6% BLS growth AND thousands of open DFW positions. Cite: BLS OOH + Indeed search.
Facilitation Tip
Students will want to write "Yes" without evidence. Model a strict standard: every Yes must have a specific number cited. A Yes without data is an unsupported claim.
Activity 2: Student Independent Analysis (30 min)
Students complete the Labor Market Analysis worksheet for the remaining 3 trades (Plumber, HVAC Tech, Welder) using the same method.
For each trade, they collect:
| Field | Source |
|---|---|
| DFW job openings estimate | Indeed search or BLS |
| 10-year BLS growth rate | BLS OOH |
| Median DFW salary | H&L or BLS |
| Entry vs. experienced salary range | BLS |
| Factors driving demand | News article or BLS "Job Outlook" section |
| High-skill? (with reason) | Classification with evidence |
| High-wage? (with reason) | Classification with evidence |
| High-demand? (with reason) | Classification with evidence |
DOK 4: Based on your labor market analysis, if you were advising the Irving ISD school board on which new CTE pathway to prioritize for investment, which skilled trade would you recommend? Use at least three data points to justify your recommendation.
Activity 3: Rapid Share-Out (3 min)
Three volunteers share their top recommendation and one data point. This closes the activity with a range of student perspectives. Some will recommend the highest-paying trade, others the highest-growth trade, others the one most aligned with their own skills and interests.
Exit Ticket (2 min)
EXIT TICKET (Comparison Matrix) · Printable PDF:
Pick 2 skilled trades from today's analysis and fill in the matrix. Mark each cell with check marks where the classification applies.
| Trade 1: ___ | Trade 2: ___ | |
|---|---|---|
| HIGH-SKILL (evidence: cert/license/training) | ||
| HIGH-WAGE (evidence: DFW $) | ||
| HIGH-DEMAND (evidence: BLS growth %) |
Bottom line: Which of my TWO trades scores MOST check marks? Cite TWO specific pieces of evidence (numbers, growth rates, salary data):
Trade with most checks: _____
Evidence 1: _____________
Evidence 2: _____________
(d(5)(A), d(5)(B))
Differentiation
- Support: Provide pre-populated BLS data sheets with key numbers already filled in. Students focus on interpreting and classifying rather than collecting data.
- Extension: Calculate the 10-year projected number of new skilled trades jobs in DFW specifically. Use the BLS growth rate and a DFW workforce estimate to generate a concrete number.
- ELL: Bilingual Labor Market Analysis worksheet with Spanish column headers. Numbers and charts are accessible across languages. Pre-teach: Labor Market = Mercado laboral, Growth Rate = Tasa de crecimiento, Demand = Demanda.