Library

Reports: Workforce development

Hiring difficulties in Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, March 2013, 24 pp.
Results of a survey of employers focusing on hiring difficulties in nine nursing, engineering, and production occupations. more info >

In North Dakota graduation pays: Linking student success in high school to economic prosperity
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, January 2013, 6 pp.
A quick look at the importance of high school and postsecondary education in North Dakota. Presents the need for an educated workforce. more info >

Community needs assessment for Ramsey and Washington counties
Wilder Research, November 2012, 24 pp.
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties focuses on bringing together resources to reduce poverty. A community needs assessment was conducted with low-income residents; the survey asked about employment, housing, education, health, safety, and other family needs and included questions about Community Action services. The report also presents poverty data for Ramsey and Washington counties. more info >

Higher education partnerships for prosperity
Itasca Project, July 2012, 32 pp.
The Itasca Higher Education Task Force brought together leaders from Minnesota’s higher education institutions and business community to identify strategies to build upon the strengths of our educational system and meet the challenges ahead, forming a four-part strategic vision for higher education in collaboration with businesses outlined in this report. more info >

Governor's job summit 2011: Getting Minnesota working again
Governor's Workforce Development Council, November 2011, 9 pp.
The 2011 Governor’s Job Summit on Oct. 25 provided a clear sense of steps needed to get Minnesota working again. Priorities include: increasing access to capital for new businesses and small businesses; aligning the education system to employment needs; and investing in state infrastructure. more info >

Help wanted: Projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018
Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, June 2010, 122 pp.
Provides detailed national forecasts of educational demand from 2008 through 2018, including educational demand by education level, occupation, and industry. Minnesota is ranked among the top five states that will lead the nation in job openings requiring postsecondary education. more info >

Evidence scan of work experience programs
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., May 2010, 38 pp.
This report presents evidence on the effectiveness of interventions that include work experience as a strategy to improve employment outcomes for people with barriers to employment. The report reviews 26 years of rigorous research gathering information from 27 evaluations. The author distinguishes between interventions targeting adults versus youth, paid versus unpaid work, and length of work opportunity.
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North Dakota economic development strategic plan: 2010-2020
North Dakota Economic Development Foundation, February 2010, 20 pp.
This is a strategic plan aimed at increasing economic growth in North Dakota. It provides an overall economic assessment of the state and examines individual business sectors and industries. more info >

Reducing the number of disconnected youth
Annie E. Casey Foundation, July 2009, 13 pp.
This brief outlines strategies to reduce the number of disconnected youth. more info >

Preparing Minnesota's workforce for tomorrow's economy
Governor's Workforce Development Council, November 2008, 24 pp.
The Council's recommendations for preparing Minnesota's workforce for the future. Committees identified problems and provided recommendations in the areas of business and community connections, diversity, education, and skill and wage advancement. more info >

21st century skills, education and competitiveness
Partnership for 21st Century Skills, September 2008, 16 pp.
This report is aimed at policymakers and leaders in the business, education and workforce development communities. It provides guidance on shaping public education policies that will secure America's economic competitiveness, giving students the skills they need to succeed in a knowledge and information-based economy. more info >

Reach higher, America: Overcoming crisis in the U.S. workforce
National Commission on Adult Literacy, June 2008, 76 pp.
Although the American economy increasingly requires that most workers have some postsecondary education or occupational training to be ready for employment, the country is moving further away from that goal. A significant number of adults face educational barriers that mean they will fall behind in their struggle to get higher wage jobs or qualify for college or job training. This report offers an analysis and recommendations on ways to increase the competitiveness of the American workforce. more info >

From getting by to getting ahead: Navigating career advancement for low-wage workers
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), October 2007, 157 pp.
Demonstrates an approach to helping low wage workers and dislocated workers advance by strategically combining work development opportunities and work support resources. more info >

Why we can't wait: A case for philanthropic action: Opportunities for improving life outcomes for African American males
Ford Foundation, January 2007, 81 pp.
An examination of programs, policies and services that impact the life outcomes of African-American males. The report is intended to serve as a springboard for ideas, strategies and programs that philanthropy professionals, nonprofit leaders and civil society can nurture to the point of outcomes that improve the quality of life for black men and boys. more info >

Training low-income workers for skills and advancement: McKnight Foundation Families Forward evaluation
Wilder Research, September 2006, 134 pp.
An initiative of The McKnight Foundation to help low-wage working parents gain access to better jobs through training and education. The initiative was launched in September 2001 and ended in 2006. Reports prevent evaluation results, including findings about participants, their experiences combining training with work and family responsibilities, and their job outcomes. They also highlight findings about what it takes for providers to offer skill development programs that meet the needs of workers and employers. more info >

State strategies for improving the employment outcomes of TANF and low-income families
NGA Center for Best Practices, July 2006, 18 pp.
Examines strategies that can help low-wage earners successfully advance in the job market and find jobs that can support families. more info >

The next generation of workforce development project: connecting workforce and economic development policy
NGA Center for Best Practices, December 2004, 57 pp.
Advocates the development of a flexible and knowledgeable workforce by integrating education, economic development, and workforce development policies. more info >

Moving from welfare to work: asset-building practices in welfare reform
Michigan State University, February 2004, 8 pp.
This brief presents examples of state organizational structures and program elements with the potential for building assets in TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) recipients more info >

Linking economic development and job creation for the working poor
Welfare Information Network, January 2004, 4 pp.
Highlights recent publications, electronic resources, and programs that focus on strengthening the link between economic development and job creation for the working poor. more info >

Workforce intermediaries and their roles in promoting advancement
Jobs for the Future, December 2003, 19 pp.
Workforce intermediaries help low-income individuals secure jobs and promote career advancement. This paper discusses the economic context for workforce intermediaries and describes their work. more info >

Earning while learning : maintaining income while upgrading skills
Jobs for the Future, December 2003, 15 pp.
Looks at programs that allow low-wage workers learn new skills while maintaining an income. It identifies what works for programs and practices that encourage skill development by providing income and support services to those pursuing further education and training. more info >

The next challenge: Advancement of low-skilled, low-wage workers
Jobs for the Future, December 2003, 12 pp.
An introduction to a series of reports on advancement for low-wage workers. Sections include: Why focus on advancement?, Issues in career advancement, and Strategies to promote advancement. more info >

By design: Engaging employers in workforce development organizations
Public/Private Ventures, November 2003, 32 pp.
This report examines three workforce development organizations and the key principles for successfully engaging employers. more info >

Opportunity in tough times: Promoting advancement for low-wage workers in a difficult economic environment
Jobs for the Future, August 2003, 22 pp.
Researchers interviewed state officials and practitioners to learn about local and state-level experience with promoting the advancement of low-wage workers. Sections include: Changes in the economic and fiscal landscape; Adapting strategies that support advancement; and Developing the infrastructure and redesigning funding for advancement. more info >

Whose job is it? Creating opportunities for advancement
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), May 2003, 35 pp.
Addresses the question, "What are the most effective ways to help low-wage workers advance?" Looks at the experiences of low-wage workers in the labor market, effective employment and training strategies, key elements of a job advancement strategy, the challenges in implementing these strategies, and policy suggestions. more info >

Making work pay: How to design and implement financial work supports to improve family and child well-being and reduce poverty
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), April 2003, 77 pp.
Focuses on designing and implementing financial supports that will reinforce the welfare-to-work message while increasing family income, and positively affect low income families and their children. more info >

Transitional jobs programs work
National Transitional Jobs Network|Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), February 2003, 2 pp.
Describes transitional jobs programs and their effectiveness. "Transitional jobs are short-term, publicly subsidized jobs that combine real work,skill development, and support services to help participants find and keep unsubsidized jobs." more info >

Transitional jobs: Stepping stones to unsubsidized employment
Mathematica Policy Research, March 2002, 94 pp.
In-depth study of six transitional work programs: "how they work, what it takes to implement them, how much they cost, and how successful they are." more info >

Providing the missing link: A model for a neighborhood-focused employment program
Annie E. Casey Foundation, November 2001, 60 pp.
This report provides a model for a neighborhood-focused workforce development strategy. more info >

The building blocks of community development
MDC, Inc., November 2001, 15 pp.
Outlines six building blocks of economic prosperity within a community: business development, workforce development, physical infrastructure, social infrastructure, cultural and environmental stewardship, and civic infrastructure. more info >

Grow faster together. Or grow slowly apart. How will America work in the 21st century?
Aspen Institute, November 2001, 48 pp.
Looks at the future of the U.S. economy, including the labor supply, work skills and an educated workforce, and wage gaps. Discusses potential solutions for making work pay, building a more skilled workforce, restoring work security while enhancing workforce flexibility, providing a more supportive workplace for working families, and rethinking the immigration policy. Also looks at economic changes that have occurred over the past 30 years. more info >

States of change : Policies and programs to promote low-wage workers' steady employment and advancement
Public/Private Ventures, April 2001, 34 pp.
This report reviews the efforts of several states that have taken advantage of devolved federal authority and the flexibility of the welfare reform legislation to create new state policies and strategies to support low-income individuals as they work. The report includes information on: Opportunities for and key elements of supporting steady employment and job advancement for low-income workers, examples of state policies and programs that enable low-income workers to retain employment and advance on the job, the challenges of designing and implementing job retention and advancement strategies for low-income workers, and policy and program ideas for moving ahead. more info >

Beyond work first: How to help hard-to-employ individuals get jobs and succeed in the workforce
MDRC, March 2001, 126 pp.
"This guide provides practical advice for designing and implementing programs to help hard-to-employ individuals succeed in the labor market." It provides a background description of the issue, the prevalence of barriers to employment, policy implications and general program strategies for working with hard-to-employ individuals, and suggestions for working with individuals who face specific barriers to employment, such as substance abuse, domestic violence, chronic health problems, criminal records, and more. more info >