America faces the most devastating economic crisis since the Great Depression, and National Skills Coalition (NSC) stands with the working people and local businesses who have been most impacted by the pandemic's economic fallout. Equitable opportunities for working people and local businesses to participate in and benefit from a rebound and…

Policymakers at the state and federal levels have expressed concern over the emerging "skills gap"--the mismatch between the job skills employers are looking for and the skills that applicants in the labor market possess. The skills gap is most acute for middle-skilled jobs; that is, jobs that require training beyond high school but less…

In July 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), a major restructuring and modernization of U.S. workforce development programs originally created through the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), which had been awaiting reauthorization for more than a decade. This brief provides an overview of…

This paper discusses the importance of effective training and workforce development programs as part of a broader strategy to increase the competitiveness of American workers. Although rapid technological change and increasing global competition have delivered great economic benefits to the U.S. economy overall, the development of new and more…

The new Community College and Career Training Grant Program to be launched this fall presents an important opportunity to help more American workers find better long-term employment more efficiently, through the promotion of innovative training and education programs that incorporate the best of what works for dislocated and unemployed adult…

This bibliography summarizes recent research on the structure and effectiveness of workforce development programs. While the term "workforce development" can mean many things, this document focuses on programs to help low-skill, low-wage and displaced workers increase their employment and earnings, as well as labor market trends that…

A project sought ways in which colleges and universities can work more closely with the federally funded Job Training Partnership Act to help the unemployed find work and to encourage business startups and expansion. Partnerships between postsecondary educational institutions and Private Industry Councils (PICs) at six sites were encouraged during…

A governor-appointed committee examined South Carolina's job training systems and developed recommendations on providing more effective and efficient job training. A consensus was first developed on conditions that currently exist in the areas of job training, job training's relationship to economic development, and services to target groups.…

Case studies are provided of the six sites involved in a demonstration project to encourage partnerships between postsecondary educational institutions and Private Industry Councils (PICs). These programs represent instances of collaborations between colleges/universities and the Job Training Partnership Act to help the unemployed find work and…

This annual report covers the period July 1985 through June 1986, Program Year 1985. Part I presents findings and recommendations from Commission work on the impact of new technologies on jobs, the problems of displaced workers, and workers' increasing need for basic skills. Part II describes the major activities of the Commission in three major…

This performance report summarizes the services and activities provided for youth and adults in secondary and postsecondary vocational education in North Carolina from July 1987-June 1988, as mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984. Data are provided to reflect services to special populations, trends, growth in enrollment,…

This report highlights issues for policymakers and provides guidance to states and localities implementing the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) by describing the successes and struggles of five cities implementing the new legislation. It presents WIA's basic framework and discusses its impact on these four major audiences: employment and…

Designed to assist two-year colleges in increasing their level of involvement in the delivery of services under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), this report describes the JTPA, reviews the role of two-year colleges in JTPA service delivery, and provides information on fiscal year (FY) 1991 JTPA funding availability and levels. Following a…

The Older Worker Project was conducted to provide employment services to unemployed persons aged 45 and older who live in the western part of the Hennepin County (Minneapolis, Minnesota) area. Although the expected result was permanent employment of the participants, the intention of this demonstration project was to refine service approaches…

The numerous layoffs of low-income workers that occurred when the nation's economy slowed in 2001 have created numerous challenges for local Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. By increasing collaboration between community economic development and workforce development efforts to serve low-income residents, states and…