At Work dives into our latest research and expert insights on workforce development and economic mobility. Enjoy this issue and check out more on ourwebsite.
Study Spotlight: American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI)
The U.S. Department of Labor’s American Apprenticeship Initiative (AAI) provided five-year grants for the expansion of registered apprenticeship programs to non-traditional sectors such as healthcare and IT and to more diverse populations, including women and workers of color. A six-year study of the initiative found that apprentices’ wages increased and employers experienced a positive return on investment. Moreover, two-thirds of the apprentices registered as part of AAI were from underrepresented populations.
All AAI apprentices experienced wage growth, and earnings increases were particularly great for most populations traditionally underrepresented in registered apprenticeship.
Source: National Directory of New Hires. Walton, Gardiner, and Barnow. 2022. Exhibit 4-4.
Our evaluation of AAI shows an apprenticeship program improved wages across the board, but equity—not just in earnings but in career choices—remains a challenge. Dr. Katrina Bledsoe and Karen Gardiner discuss possible solutions, from supportive services for apprentices to the benefits of mentors.
This webinar presents evidence gained from the evaluation of AAI, including the extent to which apprenticeships benefitted both employers and job seekers. AAI grantees and their employer partners shared unique insights and practical strategies for implementing a registered apprenticeship.
Career pathways can be a promising model to help people build job skills and find jobs, yet they vary in their success in helping people connect to family-sustaining jobs or in achieving this goal equitably. In this webinar, presenters from Abt and the field shared the results of national research on and evaluations of programs that illuminate strategies that career pathways and related programs can use to improve all participants’ opportunities to access good jobs.
Impact findings from two large-scale evaluations of 10 career pathways programs indicate that one program, Year Up, increased earnings for program participants six years after entry. The report provides insights on how other programs could potentially provide earnings gains for participants.
Rigorous evaluations have shown Year Up’s training program for young adults to be remarkably effective in its original, stand-alone form. Can the approach also work in college settings?
A new report on the MyGoals employment coaching demonstration describes its implementation and coaches’ and participants’ perceptions. This report is part of a larger evaluation of employment coaching funded by OPRE, that includes implementation studies of four separate employment coaching models and an impact study.
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