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.

SEDLP Research Report No. 1: Methodology and Findings from the Baseline Survey of Participants
Publications

SEDLP Research Report No. 1: Methodology and Findings from the Baseline Survey of Participants

This publication takes an in-depth look at data collected in the baseline survey of people participating in a longitudinal study conducted by the Sectoral Employment Development Learning Project.

Sector Policy Project Executive Summary No. 1
Publications

Sector Policy Project Executive Summary No. 1

This executive summary is the first 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.

Sector Policy Project Report No. 1-Measure For Measure: Assessing Traditional And Sectoral Strategies For Workforce Development
Publications

Sector Policy Project Report No. 1-Measure For Measure: Assessing Traditional And Sectoral Strategies For Workforce Development

This executive summary is the first 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.

SEDLP Research Brief No. 1: Key Findings from the Baseline Survey of Participants
Publications

SEDLP Research Brief No. 1: Key Findings from the Baseline Survey of Participants

In an effort to document and learn about the effect that sectoral employment development programs have on the income and employment opportunities of poor Americans, SEDLP’s Participant Study gathers extensive pre- and post-training information from a 732 person sample.

Asian Neighborhood Design: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach
Publications

Asian Neighborhood Design: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach

This case study examines Asian Neighborhood Design (AND), a community development corporation with a strong focus on the building sector.

Garment Industry Development Corporation: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach
Publications

Garment Industry Development Corporation: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach

The first SEDLP case study examines the Garment Industry Development Corporation (GIDC), a specialized nonprofit that focuses on issues of job quality and business competitiveness within the garment industry.

Jobs and the Urban Poor: Privately Initiated Sectoral Strategies
Publications

Jobs and the Urban Poor: Privately Initiated Sectoral Strategies

This report is an initial attempt to define sectoral workforce development strategies and to assess their potential to alleviate urban poverty by providing good jobs for low-income individuals.

From the Bottom Up: Toward A Strategy for Income and Employment Generation Among the Disadvantaged
Publications

From the Bottom Up: Toward A Strategy for Income and Employment Generation Among the Disadvantaged

This report was the result of the Aspen Institute’s earliest efforts to define and document innovative income and employment generation strategies to assist disadvantaged workers.

From the Bottom Up: A Collection of Program Policies
Publications

From the Bottom Up: A Collection of Program Policies

This volume serves as a companion piece to our report From the Bottom Up: Toward a Strategy of Income and Employment Generation among the Disadvantaged.

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.