The notion that the U.S. has a growing skills gap -- the difference between what employers need to fill in-demand positions and the skill of the current workforce -- is a hot topic among policymakers. By 2020, 65 percent of jobs will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school, according to the Georgetown University Center on…

States increasingly need a more highly skilled workforce to meet the requirements of businesses, keep up with a rapidly changing economy and accelerate growth that leads to economic opportunity for workers and families. As a result, governors recognize that their role is to bring together education, workforce and economic development as talent…

A project reviewed and assessed the scope and availability of Public Service Employment (PSE) participant training. It explored alternatives on how training resources can be utilized and best administered to maximize participant transition to unsubsidized employment. Project phases were program administrator interviews, employing agency and…

An evaluation was conducted of the fourth year of Project Future, implemented in the Bremerton (Washington) School District. The project objective was to provide pilot class students at four grade levels (grades 3, 6, 9, and 12) with career education learning experiences which used commercial and teacher created classroom activities and materials,…

Unemployment wage data were evaluated to assess employment, job retention, and wage progression for graduates of Community Jobs (CJ), a short-term public job creation program for the hard to employ in the state of Washington. The following were among the findings: (1) 66% of all participants were employed after graduating from CJ; (2) 53% were…