CANTON - The Canton-Massillon metropolitan area is now included in a Federal Reserve tool that provides wage and career comparisons.

The Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland recently announced that the Occupational Mobility Explorer has been updated with data from hundreds of new areas. It includes 2023 wage data for more than 600 job titles in 500 regions across the United States.

"The Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland did focus groups to hear from users how the tool could be improved," Kyle Fee, policy adviser for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said in a prepared statement. "One of the suggestions from focus group members as well as other users was to expand the geographic areas the tool covers."

The tool was launched in 2020 as a way to help people find a higher-paying job in a different career field. Users select their location and current or ideal occupation and receive a list of similar roles with information, such as the median wage and projected growth.

"The goal of the tool is to help workers understand and identify the skills they already have and how those skills can be transferred to a new position," Theresa Singleton, senior vice president and community affairs officer for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, said in a prepared statement.

The interactive tool also links to job postings and other resources. It can be found under the Surveys & Data section of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's website, philadelphiafed.org.

"In addition to job seekers, this tool can be a helpful resource for career counselors or employers," Fee said. "All too often, incredible talent is being overlooked because employers are hiring for credentials or titles over skills. Skills-based hiring can be a key element in the economic mobility of workers while providing employers with a broader pool of talent."

Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or [email protected]