About & Methods

In 2016 the Technology Alliance conceived of an interactive site that would show how technology is transforming industries across the state of Washington. The TechAlliance contracted Community Attributes Inc. to help turn this vision into a reality. Combining technology, data and stories, this site allows users to explore the many ways that technology influences, changes and is integral to the success of core industries in Washington.

Glossary
  • STEM Employment: The employment in STEM occupations within a selected region or Washington state overall
  • Percent STEM Jobs: The share of total employment in STEM occupations within a selected region or Washington state overall.
  • Total Employment: Total employment within a selected region or Washington state overall.
  • STEM Graduates: The completions in a program matching to a STEM occupation from institutions located within a selected region or Washington state overall.
  • Top STEM Occupations: The top five STEM occupations within a selected region and the total number employed within that occupation and region.
  • Top STEM Industries: The top five industries within a selected region based on the share of STEM employment within that industry.
Data & Methods

Data Sources

All data used throughout this site is publicly available. Data presented in tables and charts uses the following sources:

  • Employment Data by County. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Washington State Employment Security Department, 2016.
  • Employment Data by Industry. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016.
  • Crosswalk of Industries to Occupations. Industry Occupation Matrix, Washington State Employment Security Department, 2016.
  • Graduates. Completions, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, National Center for Education Statistics, 2015.
  • NCES Program to Occupation crosswalk. CIP x SOC Crosswalk, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, National Center for Education Statistics, 2005-2015.
  • Medical Supply and Device Employment. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001-2016.
  • Employment Forecasts. Long-Term Occupational Projects, Washington State Employment Security Department, 2017.

Methods

The following are themes and methods used throughout the analysis presented on this site.

STEM

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This term is used throughout this site to demonstrate the proliferation of technology reliant occupations throughout Washington’s jobs and industries. Data and analysis here uses the definition of STEM provided by the SOC (Standard Occupational Code) Policy Committee Recommendation to OMB Attachment C. Data presented by region in the Washington map include employment in all STEM occupations listed in the OMB attachment above, across all industries.

STEM Employment

Crosswalks between NAICS and SOC codes help define estimates of STEM employment by region and/or industry. Industry-based county employment data is matched with the crosswalk of NAICS to SOC codes in order to estimate occupation-based employment by region. These estimates are then matched to the SOC codes defined as STEM by the SOC Policy Committee Recommendation to OMB. STEM employment by region covers employment across all industries.

STEM Graduates

Graduate data only measures the number of individuals that complete programs at postsecondary institution by CIP code, or Classification Instructional Program codes. The number of graduates matching an occupation are determined by using the NCES Program to Occupation crosswalk. Once the number of graduates matching to each occupation are estimated by region, these estimates are matched to STEM occupations to determine the number of STEM graduates by region. STEM graduates by region and statewide are the cumulative graduates from institutions within each region or statewide between 2005 and 2015.

Tech Employment

All references to Tech employment are estimated using the same methods as outlined under STEM Employment. However, the occupations included in the definition of Tech are a subset of STEM. The SOC codes included in the definition of Tech follow the Core ICT Occupations as outlined on page 7 of the Washington Technology Industry Association’s Information & Communication Technology Economic & Fiscal Impact Study.

Industries

The data for employment is defined by the four-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

Top industries by region presented in the Washington map include STEM employment in all STEM occupations within each specific industry. Specific NAICS codes for each top industry are:

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  • NAICS 31-33: Manufacturing
  • NAICS 51: Information
  • NAICS 54: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • NAICS 55: Management of Companies and Enterprises
  • NAICS 56: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
  • NAICS 62: Health Care and Social Assistance
  • NAICS 92: Government

Government includes: executive, legislative and other general government support; justice, public order, and safety activities; administration of human resource programs such as veteran’s affairs, education and public health; administration of environmental quality programs; administration of housing programs, urban planning and community development; administration of economic programs; space research and technology; and national security and international affairs.

Management of Companies and Enterprises includes: offices of bank holding companies; offices of other holding companies such as financial holding companies, insurance holding companies, personal holding companies and public utility holding companies; and corporate, subsidiary, and regional managing offices which includes centralized administrative offices, corporate offices, district and regional offices, head offices and subsidiary management offices.

Additionally, the estimates of employment within the below industries include government jobs attributed to the specific NAIC within the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wage data.

Specific NAICS used in the charts and data tables presented in each of the three industry reports, Apples, Power and Health are:

  • Agriculture
    • NAICS 1100: All agriculture except Support for Crop Production and Support for Animal Production
    • NAICS 1151: Support for Crop Production
    • NAICS 1152: Support for Animal Production
  • Transportation & Warehousing
    • NAICS 48: Transportation
    • NAICS 4931: Warehousing and Storage
  • Food Processing
    • NAICS 311: Food Manufacturing
  • Wholesale and Retail of Agriculture Products
    • NAICS 4244: Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers
    • NAICS 445: Food and Beverage Stores
    • NAICS 722: Food Services and Drinking Places
  • Power Generation and Distribution
    • NAICS 2211: Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution
    • NAICS 2212: Natural Gas Distribution
  • Utility System Construction
    • NAICS 2371: Utility System Construction
  • Power Equipment Manufacturing
    • NAICS 3336: Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing
    • NAICS 3339: Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing
    • NAICS 3353: Electrical Equipment Manufacturing
  • Hospitals and Medical Centers
    • NAICS 6211: Offices of Physicians
    • NAICS 6212: Offices of Dentists
    • NAICS 6213: Offices of Other Health Practitioners
    • NAICS 6214: Outpatient Care Centers
    • NAICS 6219: Other Ambulatory Health Care Services
    • NAICS 6221: General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
    • NAICS 6223: Specialty (Except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals
    • Government: Estimated government employment in hospitals and medical centers
  • Assisted Living
    • NAICS 6231: Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities)
    • NAICS 6232: Residential Intellectual and Development Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities
    • NAICS 6233: Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly
    • NAICS 6239: Other Residential Care Facilities
  • Substance Abuse Treatment
    • NAICS 6222: Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals
  • Home Health Care
    • NAICS 6216: Home Health Care Services
  • Emergency Medical Services
    • NAICS 6242: Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services
  • Medical & Diagnostic Laboratories
    • NAICS 6215: Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
  • Medical Supply and Device
    • NAICS 334510: Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing
    • NAICS 3391: Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing
Occupations

The data for occupations is defined by the six-digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.

Top STEM occupations by region presented in the Washington map include STEM employment across all industries within each specific occupation. Specific SOC codes for each top occupation are:

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  • SOC 11-9041: Architectural and Engineering Managers
  • SOC 15-1121: Computer Systems Analysts
  • SOC 15-1131: Computer Programmers
  • SOC 15-1132: Software Developers, Applications
  • SOC 15-1133: Software Developers, Systems Software
  • SOC 15-1143: Computer Network Architects
  • SOC 15-1151: Computer User Support Specialists
  • SOC 17-2011: Aerospace Engineers
  • SOC 17-2051: Civil Engineers
  • SOC 17-2112: Industrial Engineers
  • SOC 17-2141: Mechanical Engineers
  • SOC 17-2161: Nuclear Engineers
  • SOC 17-2199: Engineers, All Other
  • SOC 17-3029: Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
  • SOC 19-1023: Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
  • SOC 19-4021: Biological Technicians
  • SOC 19-4093: Forest and Conservation Technicians
  • SOC 29-1069: Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
  • SOC 29-1141: Registered Nurses
  • SOC 29-2041: Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics
  • SOC 29-2052: Pharmacy Technicians
  • SOC 29-2061: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Specific STEM occupations are grouped into the following categories throughout each of the three industry reports, Apples, Power and Health are:

  • Management and Sales
    • SOC 11-1011 through SOC 11-9199
    • SOC 41-1011 through SOC 41-9099
  • Computer and Software
    • SOC 15-1111 through SOC 15-1133
  • Network and Web Development
    • SOC 15-1134 through SOC 15-1152
  • Other Computer and Mathematical
    • SOC 15-1199 through SOC 15-2099
  • Architecture and Engineering
    • SOC 17-1011 through SOC 17-3031
  • Life and Physical Scientists
    • SOC 19-1011 through SOC 19-2099
  • Life and Physical Science Technicians
    • SOC 19-4011 through SOC 19-4099
  • Healthcare Practitioners and Technicians
    • SOC 29-1011 through SOC 29-9099
Regions

County-based employment and graduate data presented in the interactive map are grouped into the following regions:

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  • Peninsula
    • Clallam County
    • Grays Harbor County
    • Jefferson County
    • Kitsap County
    • Mason County
    • Pacific County
    • Wahkiakum County
  • Northwest Washington
    • Island County
    • San Juan County
    • Skagit County
    • Snohomish County
    • Whatcom County
  • King County
  • South Sound
    • Lewis County
    • Pierce County
    • Thurston County
  • Vancouver
    • Clark County
    • Cowlitz County
    • Skamania County
  • Northeast Washington
    • Ferry County
    • Okanogan County
    • Pend Oreille County
    • Stevens County
  • Central Washington
    • Chelan County
    • Douglas County
    • Grant County
    • Kittitas County
  • Tri-Cities
    • Benton County
    • Franklin County
    • Klickitat County
    • Walla Walla County
    • Yakima County
  • Spokane
    • Lincoln County
    • Spokane County
  • Pullman
    • Adams County
    • Asotin County
    • Columbia County
    • Garfield County
    • Whitman County