Workforce Development

PATHS for Texas: Interim Descriptive Statistics, Outcomes, Impacts, Survey Results, and Qualitative Summary 2024 Update

August 12, 2024 Leave a Comment

PATHS for Texas: Interim Descriptive Statistics, Outcomes, Impacts, Survey Results, and Qualitative Summary 2024 Update
Authors: Thomas Boswell, Patty Rodriguez, and Heath Prince
Date: July 2024
Publication Type: Report, 49pp.

Executive Summary
The data presented in this report represent individuals who participated in PATHS for Texas from its start date in 2020 through June of 2024. As of June 2024, 2,524 individuals registered to participate in the PATHs for Texas program from four Texas Workforce Development Boards (WDB) across the state (Coastal Bend, Gulf Coast, Rural Capital Area, and North Texas). Of the 2,524 individuals who enrolled in PATHS, 2,029 (80%) individuals completed training and earned one or more certificates. When compared to the reference quarter (four quarters prior to earning a certificate through PATHS), on average, PATHS participants increased employment by 5.5 percentage points (from 72.8% to 78.3%), as well as increased their quarterly earnings by $2,574 (from $8,469 to $11,043) eight quarters after earning their certificate. Those who earned certificates in the Business, Hospitality, Information Technology, Medical, Retail, and Transportation and Logistics industries saw increases in employment and earnings compared to the reference period, while those earning certificates in Entrepreneurship, and in the Skilled Trades saw flat or slight decreases in employment, and Insurance, which saw a decline in earnings.

When matched with a comparison group of demographically similar individuals with similar employment histories to determine the impact of program participation, and while there is some variation across the Boards and by outcome measure, it is generally the case that participation in PATHS is associated with a positive, and statistically significant, increase in both unconditional quarterly earnings ($990) and quarterly employment (9.5% percentage points) over the comparison group.

We also report on the outcomes of two surveys completed in the past three years: one survey of active PATHS participants, and one of inactive participants. Responses indicate that flexible training arrangement, follow-up with participants after program completion, and information regarding family counseling services represent growth opportunities for service providers.

Finally, and while it will be expanded upon in next year’s final report, we report preliminary findings from an implementation evaluation of PATHS. Input provided by key stakeholders yielded several lessons learned, including those related to flexibility, collaboration, and leadership. In terms of flexibility, respondents highlighted the value in PATHS ability to pivot its industry focus in response to COVID-19. Regarding collaboration, respondents frequently cited their collaboration between one another throughout the PATHS funding period as a unique experience in the state’s Workforce Solutions space. And, regarding leadership, respondents underscored the importance of an effective and confident managerial presence to the successful implementation of the PATHS for Texas program.

Evaluation of the City of Austin Investment in Workforce Development: 2023 Annual Report

July 5, 2024 Leave a Comment

Evaluation of the City of Austin Investment in Workforce Development: 2023 Annual Report
Authors: Cynthia Juniper, Thomas Boswell, and Greg Cumpton, Principal Investigator
Date: December 2023
Publication Type: Report, 41 pp.

The City of Austin has contracted with the Ray Marshall Center (RMC), an organized research unit at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, to conduct an evaluation of the City’s workforce training investments. The purpose of the evaluation is to identify within the City of Austin funded workforce development training ecosystem, programmatic or strategic elements that impact participant outcomes. Research findings will guide strategic planning for the City’s workforce development efforts.

The following report is organized into three sections. The first presents an overview of the evaluation questions and research methods. The quantitative methodology discussion highlights the planned analysis of employment and wage outcomes. The qualitative methodology discussion presents detailed information regarding the development of the participant survey, the survey distribution plan, and participant interviews. The second section presents a brief profile of each service provider and its workforce development program(s). The concluding section outlines lessons learned during this first period of inquiry and additional questions researchers will consider as the evaluation evolves.

Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development 2023 Update

May 21, 2024 Leave a Comment

Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development 2023 Update
Authors: Cynthia Juniper, Patty Rodriguez, David McCoy, Heath Prince (Principal Investigator), and Thomas Boswell
Date: November 2023
Publication Type: Report, 173pp.

INTRODUCTION
In FY 2016–FY 2022, Travis County invested over $16 million to support a continuum of adult education, training, and employment services. The adult education programing supported by the County includes English as a second language, basic adult education, high school equivalency and GED classes. Sectoral occupational training includes healthcare professions, information technology, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other occupations in area growth industries with good prospects for career advancement, improved economic stability, and access to employee benefits.

Four of the Travis County workforce development grantees receive county-funded assistance as a consortium, the Workforce Education and Readiness Continuum–Travis County (WERC-TC). WERC-TC providers are Workforce Solutions Capital Area Career Centers, Goodwill of Central Texas, Austin Area Urban League, and American YouthWorks. Four additional community-based organizations maintaining workforce development contracts with Travis County are included in this report: Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, Capital IDEA, LifeWorks, and Skillpoint Alliance. In addition, WERC-TC grantee American YouthWorks also delivers services to participants through Travis County funding that is not WERC-TC.

To understand program participant outcomes and the impact of these services, the county has contracted with the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources (RMC), an organized research unit in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas, to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of its investments. This evaluation report presents findings and analyses of programs funded during a seven-year on-going evaluation (FY 2016–FY 2022).

PATHS for Texas: Interim Descriptive Statistics, Outcomes, Impacts, and Survey Results

August 29, 2023 Leave a Comment

PATHS for Texas: Interim Descriptive Statistics, Outcomes, Impacts, and Survey Results
Author: Patty Rodriguez, Thomas Boswell, and Heath Prince
Date: June 2023
Publication Type: Report, 34pp.

Executive Summary
The data presented in this brief represent individuals who participated in PATHS for Texas from its start date in 2020 through April of 2023. As of April 2023, 1,824 individuals registered to participate in the PATHs for Texas program from four Texas Workforce Development Boards across the state (Coastal Bend, Gulf Coast, Rural Capital Area, and North Texas). Of the 1,824 individuals who enrolled in PATHS, 1,221 (67%) individuals completed training and earned one or more certificates. When compared to the reference quarter (four quarters prior to earning a certificate through PATHS), on average, PATHS 2020 and 2021 participants increased employment by 8 percentage points (from 72% to 80%), as well as increased their quarterly earnings by $2,332 (from $7,956 to $10,288) four quarters after earning their certificate. When examined by individual Board, three of the four demonstrated marked increases in employment, ranging from 8.2 to 22.5 percentage point increases, and three of the four boards achieved increases in earnings. Those who earned certificates in the Business, Hospitality, Medical, and Retail industries saw increases in employment and earnings compared to the reference period, while those earning certificates in Information Technology saw, on average, slight decreases in earnings.

When matched with a comparison group of demographically similar individuals with similar employment histories to determine the impact of program participation, and while there is some variation across the Boards and by outcome measure, it is generally the case that participation in PATHS is associated with a positive, and statistically significant, increase in both quarterly earnings ($1,022) and quarterly employment (4.9% percentage points) over the comparison group.

Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development: 2022 Update

April 25, 2023 Leave a Comment

Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development: 2022 Update
Authors: Cynthia Juniper, Patty Rodriguez, Heath Prince (Principal Investigator), David McCoy, and Thomas Boswell
Date: March 2023
Publication Type: Report, 181pp.

Introduction:
In FY 2016–FY 2021, Travis County invested over $14 million through contracts with workforce development programs for low-income residents who face challenges in finding steady employment with sufficient earnings to support themselves and their families. These programs provide services ranging from Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL) and high school equivalency certification (HSEC) programs, to short- and long-term skills training leading to certifications and/or associate degrees across a wide range of occupations. These occupations include nursing and other healthcare professions, information technology, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other occupations in area growth industries with good prospects for career advancement.

Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development: 2021 Update

April 6, 2022 Leave a Comment

Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development: 2021 Update
Authors: Cynthia Juniper, Patty Rodriguez, and Heath Prince
Date: February 2022
Publication Type: Report, 170pp.

This evaluation examines outcomes and impacts for participants exiting the Travis County-funded community-based workforce programs between FY 2016 and FY 2020. To understand the impact of these services, the county has contracted with the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources (RMC), an organized research unit in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas, to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of its investments. This evaluation report presents findings and analyses of programs funded during a five-year on-going evaluation (FY 2016–FY 2020).

Policy Brief: Building a National Unemployment Insurance System

March 1, 2021 Leave a Comment

Building a National Unemployment Insurance System
Authors: Stephen A. Wandner and Christopher King
Date: February 12, 2021 (revised March 16, 2021)
Publication Type: Policy Brief, 25 pp.

Dr. Chris King, Senior Research Scientist and former RMC Director, along with Stephen A. Wandner, a Senior Fellow with the National Academy of Social Insurance, has co-authored a timely and critically important policy brief on modernizing the U.S. Unemployment Insurance program. The pandemic has made stark the long-running weaknesses in the UI program, but King and Wandner present solutions that are both practical and imminently practicable. This brief is the product of the Better Employment and Training Strategies (BETS) task force, an ad-hoc group, including the RMC, of more than 40 workforce development experts created to provide critically needed input into policy and programmatic conversations around improving the country’s employment and training system. You can read more from the authors and BETS here.

Individual Endorsements
Steve Crawford (GW Institute of Public Policy, The George Washington University)
Stuart Andreason (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity)
Larry Good (Corporation for a Skilled Workforce)
Earl Buford (Partner4Work)
Amanda Cage (National Fund for Workforce Solutions)
Maureen Conway (Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program)
Bob Jones (former Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration/U.S. Department of Labor)
Clair Minson (Sandra Grace Consulting)
Todd Greene (WorkRise, Urban Institute)
Annelies Goger (Brookings Institution)
James Haynes (OIC of America)
Andy Van Kleunen (National Skills Coalition)
Jeanine LaPrad (Corporation for a Skilled Workforce)
Mary Alice McCarthy (New America)
Sarah Miller (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta)
Jane Oates (former Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration/U.S. Department of Labor)
Brent Parton (New America)
Heath Prince (Ray Marshall Center, University of Texas at Austin)
Martha Ross (Brookings Institution)
Thomas Showalter (National Youth Employment Coalition)
Martin Simon (formerly National Governors Association)
Katie Spiker (National Skills Coalition)
Carl Van Horn (Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University)

Organizational Endorsements
National Skills Coalition
Ray Marshall Center, University of Texas at Austin