This information was shared by top state workforce development officials and celebrated by business leaders. It was also reported by a conservative-leaning news site. The problem is that it’s false. Georgetown University researchers have completed a 2017 report titled “Good jobs that pay without a BA: a State-by-State analysis.” This Georgetown study examines the opportunities available to people who do not hold a Bachelor of Arts (BA), or any other four-year degree. It is a decreasing group nationally. This report was produced by the university’s Good Jobs Project in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase, an investment bank. Leaders across the country have cited the report to highlight opportunities for blue-collar workers. According to interviews with the authors and a careful analysis of the study, Laurie Smith, head of Mississippi’s workforce development board, said that the report had misrepresented Mississippi’s position as a state for having “good jobs.” Smith stated that “good jobs” were those earning at least $50,000 per year, without the need for a bachelor’s degree. According to the report, “good jobs” are those that pay at least $35,000 for workers younger than 45 years old and $45,000 for those older than 45. Smith stated that Mississippi was second in the country for its growth in these jobs. According to a Georgetown Study, Mississippi is ranked second in the country for “Good Jobs.” Dr. Laurie Smith, SWIB Executive Director is going to the NGA Conference today and will be learning more about the importance of Good Jobs for all Americans as well as preparing the state’s workforce for these jobs. pic.twitter.com/qIzzk3yhTz — SWIB (@SWIB_MS) February 23, 2019 Officials have repeatedly used the report to suggest Mississippi is a national leader for creating or growing high-paying jobs that favor acquiring skills over education, despite the state holding less than one percent of the nation’s such jobs. Another media report, which relied heavily upon Smith and other workforce officials, distorted statistics by incorrectly stating that Mississippi is number two in the prevalence of these jobs. This Georgetown report uses data that was misrepresented by key state leaders. In Mississippi, for example, despite claims of a record-low unemployment rate, Mississippi’s employment growth rate is lower than the rest of the U.S., while its labor participation rate ranks second in the country. A series of Mississippi Today stories on NSPARC in March highlighted how Mimmo Parisi (then director of the agency) used what he called “alternative information” to portray a Mississippi with a better and bigger economy. Even though unemployment is declining, an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data has shown that Mississippi’s workforce includes more cashiers than any other state. This is about 37 percent of all 1,000 workers. They earn an average annual salary of $19,620, which is less than half the state’s median household income. Mississippi Today discovered inaccuracies within the state’s printed statements and verbal ones. They contacted Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce to send Smith’s statement as well as a link to the video. Jeff Strohl (director of research at Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce) said that Smith’s statement was “clearly not accurate”. Smith did not respond when asked for comment. According to the report, Mississippi is not leading in the development or availability of jobs such as manufacturing and health care services. These jobs typically require training beyond highschool but not a bachelor’s degree. According to Mississippi Today, workers in Mississippi have less likelihood of having a bachelor’s or “good job” than other states. According to the 2013-2015 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data, only 30 percent of Mississippi workers have a “good” job. This puts Mississippi in last place with Arkansas. Mississippi’s No. The report’s No. 2 ranking is based on the education levels of those who hold “good jobs” in each respective state. A greater percentage of Mississippi’s good jobs, 61 per cent, is held by individuals without a bachelor’s degree than any other state except Wyoming. This is due to the fact that 74% of workers lack a bachelor’s. Mississippi ranks second in the country for four-year degrees, behind only Nevada. Mississippi’s No. According to Neil Ridley (director of the State Initiative at Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce), the No. 2 ranking is a better indicator of the education attainment of the workforce that the availability of good jobs. There are many good jobs available! Mississippi ranks #2 in the country for high-paying power jobs that don’t require a four-year college degree. The average salary is $53,000. Find your career on https://t.co/wC09TWW1K9 #PrepareConnectSustain pic.twitter.com/vwHuNQN3zd — SWIB (@SWIB_MS) April 24, 2019 Mississippi Today provided the language of the Georgetown ranking on NSPARC’s “State Economy Scorecard,” to Darrin Webb, the state’s economist, who called it “quite the positive spin for a stat that means very little,” in an email. While the Georgetown report ranks states for their growth in blue collar and skilled services jobs, which meet their “good job” pay standards and are held by individuals without bachelor’s degrees, Mississippi is ranked 15th and 18th in that metric. Ridley stated that there was a mix of metrics. States in New England and Rust Belt lost blue-collar jobs with higher salaries since 1991 due to a sharp decline of industry and outsourcing. However, many other states have increased those jobs by more that 20 percent. Only three states have seen an increase in the number of high-paying, skilled-service jobs that are not based on a bachelor’s degree. Mississippi is one of ten states to have seen an increase in the number of “good” manufacturing jobs for people who do not hold a bachelor’s degree since 1991. Policymakers in the United States have focused on creating career opportunities for those who don’t want to pursue bachelor’s degrees. Strohl said that white men have done relatively well in the shift to a non-BA economy. The replacement labor force is heavily Latino. Strohl stated that for this population, the immigrant and Latino citizens, there are a lot more bad jobs than good ones. “The glories and benefits of the middle economic are something people forget to talk about. In August, agents raided seven Mississippi chicken plants, taking nearly 700 people into custody in one of the most extensive immigration enforcement operations in a decade. In 2018, the Mississippi Economic Council released a report that highlighted the increasing need for workers who have some post-secondary education. We must shift the perceptions and expectations about post-secondary education. The report says that we have created a culture in which you think you can’t succeed if you don’t follow the academic route after high school. According to the report, Mississippi employers are struggling to fill 40,000 jobs without having a skilled labor force. This suggests a boom in skilled labor jobs in Mississippi. Smith stated that he believes there is a lot more industry in Mississippi because the state has the workforce to support it. Smith also highlighted the state’s “Mississippi Works,” an app developed by NSPARC where employers can post job openings. Users can upload their resumes and search jobs based on their location and qualifications. The website’s nearly 42,000 job listings on July 18 revealed that the nine most popular jobs are not manufacturing jobs or skilled services jobs. Instead, they list farmworkers and meat cutters, salespeople, cashiers, producers, equipment operators, farmers, cashiers, receptionists, retailers, salespersons, and other workers. Registered nurses were the tenth most popular job opening. Georgetown’s standard for a “good job”, the median annual salary for all jobs was $25,520. * *This data note contains more details about our analysis.