Publications and Resources

Explore the Workforce Strategies Initiative’s publications and other resources including webinars, tools, and recordings of public events highlighting issues that affect workers’ ability to thrive in the US economy. Browse resources by subject or industry focus.

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All Publications from the Workforce Strategies Initiative

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Publications

Skills to Live By: Participant Reflections on the Value of their Sectoral Training Experience

This publication shares the observations of a group of past sectoral training program participants – four years post-training – about how that experience changed them and their families and what they see as barriers to their future success.

Business Value Assessment Examples
Publications

Business Value Assessment Examples

Brief “real-life” examples that describe how workforce service partnered with a business customer to measure results.

Business Value Assessment Toolkit
Publications

Business Value Assessment Toolkit

This Handbook provides general guidance and instructions for using a set of tools to measure the value that a workforce development organization delivers to its business clients.

How Does Business Benefit from Sectoral Workforce Development Services?
Publications

How Does Business Benefit from Sectoral Workforce Development Services?

This issue describes the lessons learned from nine sectoral workforce development programs and their business customers as they worked with WSI to create a process for assessing the value of their services from the employers’ perspective.

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Publications

Building Communications Capacity: Sector Programs Share Their Experiences

This edition of Update examines the experiences of six sectoral employment development programs as they tackled specific communications challenges and attempted to build their overall communications capacity.

Evaluation of the Sectoral Employment Demonstration Program
Publications

Evaluation of the Sectoral Employment Demonstration Program

This report, a collaborative effort between the Urban Institute and WSI, documents the range of projects undertaken and the outcomes achieved by the 38 Workforce Investment Boards (WIBS) participating in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Sectoral Employment Development Demonstration project.

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Publications

Building Effective Employer Relations

This publication details some of the important lessons learned from the strong relationships that have developed over time between 10 sector projects and their employer partners.

Sectoral Workforce Development: Research Review and Future Directions
Publications

Sectoral Workforce Development: Research Review and Future Directions

This report describes the proceedings of two meetings initiated by WSI in Spring 2004.

Key Research Findings and Implications For The Workforce Investment Act
Publications

Key Research Findings and Implications For The Workforce Investment Act

Key Research Findings and Implications for the Workforce Investment Act, a new policy brief from WSI, draws on findings from a multi-faceted investigation of industry-specific or “sectoral” workforce development, to offer an overview of this research and discuss implications for Workforce Investment Act legislation.

Mid-Project Review: The Department of Labor Sectoral Employment Development Demonstration
Publications

Mid-Project Review: The Department of Labor Sectoral Employment Development Demonstration

This report, a collaborative effort between the National Network of Sector Partners and WSI, reviews the progress made by 32 of the Workforce Investment Boards (WIBS) participating in the U.S. Department of Labor Sectoral Employment Development Demonstration project.

Industry-Based Employment Programs: Implications for Welfare Reauthorization and Key Survey Findings
Publications

Industry-Based Employment Programs: Implications for Welfare Reauthorization and Key Survey Findings

This brief highlights some of the key findings from the SEDLP participant survey and describes some of the outcomes that were found specifically among welfare recipients.

Sector Policy Project Report No. 3-Measuring Up And Weighing In: Industry Based Workforce Development Training Results In Strong Employment Outcomes
Publications

Sector Policy Project Report No. 3-Measuring Up And Weighing In: Industry Based Workforce Development Training Results In Strong Employment Outcomes

This is the third report in a three-part series, the purpose of which is to make both the general concept of sector strategy and the particular outcomes of sector programs accessible to policymakers in easy-to-understand terms.

About the Workforce Strategies Initiative

The Workforce Strategies Initiative, part of the Economic Opportunities Program, uses research and evaluation to explore strategies that help workers attain stability and mobility, including through training, education, and broader systems change.

About the Economic Opportunities Program

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

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More from the Workforce Strategies Initiative

Cover Page for the publication "Race and Gender Wealth Equity and the Role of Employee Share Ownership"
Publications

Race and Gender Wealth Equity and the Role of Employee Share Ownership

Employee ownership can promote equity, improve job quality, and boost business performance.

Cover page for the report "Unpacking the Work of Work-Based Learning"
Publications

Unpacking the Work of Work-Based Learning

Enhancing Conversations Between Employers and Workforce Professionals
Blog Posts

Enhancing Conversations Between Employers and Workforce Professionals

Many young people need job and training opportunities. How do workforce professionals talk about these issues with employers?

Voices from the Field: Engaging Employers to Connect Young Adults to Good Fit Employment
Publications

Voices from the Field: Engaging Employers to Connect Young Adults to Good Fit Employment

Young workers are facing dire employment prospects. But asking employers the right questions can help identify opportunities.

Cover page: "The Benefits of Bridging Divides: How YouthBuild Philly Shares its Supportive Practices to Build Business Value and Better Jobs"
Publications

The Benefits of Bridging Divides: How YouthBuild Philly Shares its Supportive Practices to Build Business Value and Better Jobs

YouthBuild Philly shows how businesses can develop supportive practices to help young people succeed at work.

Cover Page: "Genesis at Work: Evaluating the Effects of Manufacturing Extension on Business Success and Job Quality"
Publications

Genesis at Work: Evaluating the Effects of Manufacturing Extension on Business Success and Job Quality

Workforce practices are central to a firm’s success. What happens when companies focus on people and process equally?

A Toolkit to Engage Employers and Opportunity Youth on the Future of Work
Publications

A Toolkit to Engage Employers and Opportunity Youth on the Future of Work

How can we ensure Opportunity Youth are positioned to succeed in the future of work?

Cost of Turnover Tool: Make the business case to improve retention through upskilling and stability
Publications

Cost of Turnover Tool

Estimate how much your business spends each year replacing staff in one occupation.