Policy & Systems Change

Research and evaluation conducted by the Economic Opportunities Program’s Workforce Strategies Initiative explore strategies that help workers attain stability and mobility, including through training, education, and broader systems change.

In the years since the end of the Great Recession, the unemployment rate has declined much faster than the poverty rate, and more and more Americans are struggling to find work that allows them to support themselves and their families. WSI’s current research explores “raise the floor and build ladders” strategies, which improve the quality of low-wage jobs and promote mobility for low-wage workers.

Sector Strategies In Brief
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Sector Strategies In Brief

This publication is designed to provide a concise overview of the elements and outcomes associated with sector work.

Sectoral Strategies for Low-Income Workers: Lessons from the Field
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Sectoral Strategies for Low-Income Workers: Lessons from the Field

This publication examines the sectoral development field, explaining how it differs from other workforce development approaches, how it has grown over time, what is has achieved, and how it can be used to strengthen regional economies and business competitiveness.

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Update Issue 4: Sector Initiatives and Community Colleges:

This issue takes an in-depth look at strategic collaborations between community colleges and community-based sectoral employment initiatives.

How Does Business Benefit from Sectoral Workforce Development Services?
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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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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
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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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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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"
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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"
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Unpacking the Work of Work-Based Learning

Enhancing Conversations Between Employers and Workforce Professionals
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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
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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"
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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"
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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
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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
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Cost of Turnover Tool

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