Understanding the Employment Outcomes of Trainees in the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program…

"The impact findings for TAA trainees raise important questions for policymakers and practitioners, particularly as to what aspects of the training may have affected employment outcomes. The goal of this paper is to address these questions by providing a descriptive analysis of the training experiences of TAA participants and multivariate analysis of the relationship between employment outcomes and training program characteristics" (p.ix). (Abstractor: Author)

Full Publication Title: Understanding the Employment Outcomes of Trainees in the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program Under the 2002 Amendments

• “Early training entry was associated with better labor market outcomes four years after job loss. One key factor associated with the timing of training entry was the timing of the participant’s TAA eligibility. Workers who were eligible for TAA services at the time of job loss entered training significantly earlier than those who became eligible after job loss. Interestingly, the receipt of training counseling did not appear to alter how fast TAA participants entered their education and training programs. • “For female trainees, the occupational field of training was strongly associated with labor market outcomes. Training in healthcare practitioner and technical fields was associated with significantly better employment outcomes. Training in office and administrative support was also associated with significantly more weeks of employment and higher annual earnings. • “There was no clear relationship between the length of a training program and employment outcomes. But trainees still enrolled in training during the final year of the follow-up period had fewer weeks of employment and lower annual earnings. • “Receiving a degree or certificate was associated with more weeks worked for both female and male trainees. However, the author did not find a significant relationship between credential receipt and earnings. • “Trainees who found employment in their training field had better employment outcomes than trainees employed in other occupations. The likelihood of finding employment in the field of training varied by occupational field. • “Trainees who received career assessments were more likely to be employed in their training field. However, the author found no differences for those who received labor market information (LMI) (regarding demand in various occupations) or counseling on the appropriateness of training or provider selection" (p.x-xi). (Abstractor: Author)

• Last Updated:
• Created:
• Resource Publication Date: 2012
• Author(s): Berk, Jillian
• Organizational Author(s): Mathematica Policy Research
• Funding Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
• Resource Availability: Publicly available
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• Posted in: Workforce System Strategies