The future of Wisconsin’s economy looks bright, with short-term employment projections for 2023-25 showing significant growth across all industries. According to DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek, the state has made a remarkable recovery from COVID-19, with employment fully restored as of the second quarter of 2023. Projections by the Department of Workforce Development’s state labor economists indicate that Wisconsin is projected to create 82,867 new jobs and grow by 2.47% between 2023 and 2025, with computer and mathematical occupations growing fastest.
DWD’s chief economist Dennis Winters highlighted the importance of leisure and hospitality activities to Wisconsin’s economy, acknowledging the challenges faced by industry employers and workers during the pandemic. The leisure and hospitality industry, which experienced a sharp decline in employment during COVID-19, is expected to lead employment growth in the 2023-25 projections, growing by 5.25% or adding 15,342 jobs.
Health employment also played a critical role in Wisconsin’s economic recovery, and projections suggest that the education and health services sector will soon surpass pre-pandemic employment levels. The Healthcare Support occupational group is among the top three groups to exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2023. DWD economists collaborate with state and local partners to analyze and understand workforce development trends and challenges, developing long-term (10-year) and short-term (