Employers and labor organizations in the United States use apprenticeships to provide workers with technical education and paid on-the-job training leading to wage increases and higher-skilled jobs. When English learners participate in apprenticeships, employers benefit from an expanded pipeline of qualified employees and a more diverse workforce,…

Over the past two decades, an innovative approach to workforce development known as sectoral employment has emerged, resulting in the creation of industry-specific training programs that prepare unemployed and underskilled workers for skilled positions and connect them with employers seeking to fill such vacancies. In 2003, with funding from the…

A study was conducted jointly by Women in the Building Trades (WIBT), and the Wellesley Center for Research on Women to learn about the experiences of women in the building trades. A questionnaire was distributed at a state conference and mailed to the mailing list of WIBT. All told, 431 questionnaires were distributed, and 131 (30%) were…

To examine the hypothesis that occupational licensure is primarily a restrictive device to protect those licensed from competition, analysis focused on the licensure of non-professional occupations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, covering 36 licenses issued by the three states for 12 occupations (e.g. electricians, barbers,…

A survey examined workers' perspectives on skills usage and the effects of technological change in the workplace, specifically in three trades: metalworking machining, automotive repair, and graphic arts/printing. Responses to interview questions asked during site visits to shops in Hampden and Hampshire Counties (Massachusetts) were incorporated…