This study aimed to identify if Central Ohio employers closed the middle-skill gap by investing in training. Middle-skill jobs are those that require at least one of the following: a month of On-the-Job training, previous work experience in a related occupation, an apprenticeship, a certification, and some college but not a 4-year degree (Young…

The student workforce plays a substantial part in several low-paying industries such as retail and hospitality, and this has grown over time. However, there has been little recent research. The usual assumption is that students compete successfully with the local labour force for low-skill, part-time jobs, but there is little evidence for this.…

This study recognises how Industry 4.0 is influencing labour market demands of graduating students and how ongoing discord between employers and educators regarding their preparation is driving work-integrated learning across the sector. Stakeholder involvement in capability development requires expected performance standards to benchmark students…

Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) have gained traction in Maine and nationally as a means for students to develop "college, career, and life" skills through out-of-classroom experiences. As ELOs are not structured or regulated by the state, they vary significantly in range, scope, and access. This report offers insight into…

The United States economy currently suffers a significant skills gap in its workforce, one that approaches crisis proportions. This skills gap (Christo-Baker et al., 2017; King et al., 2017; Laboissiere & Mourshed, 2017) will have profound effects on future U.S. economic growth and, by extension, on global economic growth. Researchers have…

Organisations function in a flexible and changing environment that requires dynamic responses to diverse forces influencing their sustainability and growth. Employers wish to recruit graduates who can capably and successfully transfer their university-acquired skills and knowledge to the workplace. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore…

Since it was signed into law, the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) has been the subject of continuing scrutiny. One commonly shared concern is that the evaluation metrics of the Act (e.g., employment, salary, etc.) may incentivize programs to work with learners who will more readily meet expected outcomes (Pickard, 2016). Others…

Many have called for greater alignment between education systems and the workforce, more equitable access to career-oriented experiences, and new policy approaches that will enable all individuals to successfully enter and thrive in the evolving labor market. Overall, education leaders at all levels must commit to new policy solutions that offer…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perception of employability and success among workforce education and development (WED) graduates. A quantitative study was conducted through the administration of an online survey to graduates (N = 85) of a WED program located within a midwestern, state university. The survey included demographic…

The Linking Learning to Careers (LLC) program offered high school students with disabilities an individualized and targeted approach to strategically plan for their futures. The Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) designed LLC to build on its usual services for high school students to emphasize unpaid and paid work-based learning…

This report looks at strategies for sustaining and expanding Registered Apprenticeship pathways for opportunity youth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The report draws on promising practices from workforce boards and community-based organizations, and addresses topics including the digital divide, occupational mobility, and the provision of services…

As the United States grapples with COVID-19 and the dangerous dislocations it has brought to the American economy, it may be hard to turn our attention to an ongoing issue like workforce development. But we would argue there is no better time. While jobs have been returning, an unprecedented 26.5 million Americans filed for unemployment over a…

With nearly 2 million college-educated immigrants and refugees in the United States unable to fully utilize their professional skills, better understanding of the elements of successful programs and policies that reduce the waste of advanced education and skills can benefit immigrants, their families, and the U.S. economy more generally. This…

This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine ways to help students succeed by strengthening the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable John Kline, Chairman, Committee on Education and the Workforce; and (2) Honorable Robert C. Scott, Ranking Member, Committee on…

In the 21st century, the idea of preparing youth for the workforce has taken on new meaning. The shift to a knowledge economy has brought widespread concern that young people are entering the workforce without the skills employers value most, such as communication, critical thinking, leadership, and teamwork skills. As youth programs evaluate how…