Evidence-based Approaches to Workforce Development: Year in Review

Long-Term Effects of a Sectoral Advancement Strategy: WorkAdvance

This report outlines the WorkAdvance model, a workforce initiative that emphasizes demand-driven skills training and clear career pathways. The model employs a dual-customer approach to meet both job seekers' and employers' needs. The study examines post-enrollment impacts and includes a benefit-cost analysis for participants, the government, and society. The study found that the WorkAdvance program at Per Scholas increased average earnings in 2017 and 2018; there were no significant effects on average earnings at the other three sites. WorkAdvance programs also increased the likelihood of individuals having earnings of at least $30,000 in some time periods. WorkAdvance sites did not increase employment by a statistically significant amount in either follow-up year. The findings from the benefit-cost analysis are positive from the perspectives of the participants, the government, and society at all four sites.

Leveraging Technology for Human-Centered One-Stop Workforce Service Delivery: Hawai'i 

This report documents how Hawai’i used a National Governors Association (NGA) grant to develop an accessible, data-driven platform for unemployed people and other jobseekers. The Hawai‘i Career Acceleration Navigator (HI CAN) team focused on creating a seamless connection between the unemployment insurance system and the workforce development system. To streamline services, the HI CAN team created a user-friendly platform that can be accessed from a single sign-on connection with the unemployment insurance work search certification page. The system provides customized job recommendations for each user based on their unique work and training history as well as information on career transitions. 

Implementing Healthcare Career Pathway Training Programs in Rural Settings 

This brief examines the opportunities and challenges faced by recipients of Tribal Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) in implementing education and training programs in rural communities. It describes the strength-based approaches they developed or leveraged in response. The tribal HPOG  grantees leveraged partnerships to expand healthcare training opportunities to participants, provided financial assistance (such as gas cards) to address transportation barriers, hosted training programs at locations convenient for participants, established a variety of communication methods for case management, co-located program staff at partner sites, and identified HPOG liaisons at partner institutions to assist with recruitment.

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Posted by: Burak Yuksel
• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies