Academic Supply and Occupational Demand in Tennessee: Workforce Needs and Degree Production

This report is the result of a collaboration between THEC and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Using data from academic years 2006 through 2016, THEC projected degree production for public, private, and proprietary institutions in Tennessee through 2025 (i.e., academic supply). Separately, TDLWD projected the needs of Tennessee’s workforce (i.e., occupational demand) for 2016 through 2026 to determine which occupations will have the greatest number of annual openings. TDLWD then analyzed the credentials produced by Tennessee’s postsecondary institutions in the programs of study aligned with high-demand occupations to determine whether higher education is meeting the needs of employers.