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Journal Article
From Classroom to Career: An Overview of Current Workforce Development Trends, Issues and Initiatives
Earlier this year, Community Development and Policy Studies (CDPS) staff at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago released a report on its Industrial Cities Initiative (ICI).[1] The report features a quantitative assessment of ten Midwestern “industrial cities” that is augmented by more than 175 interviews with city leadership. The report explores whether – and to what extent – these cities have been able to withstand a decline in manufacturing employment since the 1960s. Workforce development was the most common and ...
Discussion Paper
Creating a STEM Employment Pipeline in Eastern North Carolina Schools
The communities of eastern North Carolina are working to develop and maintain a workforce that will support existing employers and attract additional STEM industries to the region. NC East Alliance, an economic development organization representing 29 counties, is partnering with 29 school districts and 14 community colleges to train students in the skills needed for possible jobs in those fields.
Journal Article
Learning in the Fast Lane
Dale Phillips, a night-shift maintenance supervisor at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, S.C., is busy balancing a full-time job with online coursework to complete a bachelor's degree in management. He oversees a team of equipment-services associates in the plant's paint shop, whose duties include preventing equipment breakdowns in the conveyors, lifts, pumps, and industrial robots. He says he never envisioned such a career until four years ago, when he started at the plant as an apprentice after spending most of his 20s and 30s as a grocery store manager.
Monograph
All Eyes on Texas: Community colleges focus on preparing the workforce of tomorrow
This report examines how Texas community colleges can fulfill their unique mission through measures including additional funding, greater outreach with business and recognition that many students seek specific skills training.
How Do Firms Differ in Rich and Poor Countries?
Firms in countries with high GDP per capita tend to have larger and more highly educated workforces and to be organized differently than firms in poor countries.
Journal Article
Spotlight on Research: Early Labor Experiences of Young Men: Underlying Factors and Later Consequences
Unemployment has deleterious effects on the overall health of the economy. Also, unemployment is debilitating to those experiencing it. For young entrants into the labor force, their early employment/unemployment experiences may be especially critical to their later labor market success. Thus, the initial transition-to-work period may foretell future employment status and wages/income. This is a particularly crucial juncture for young minority males who generally experience high rates of unemployment. Conventional wisdom suggests that higher educational attainment plays a prominent role in ...
Journal Article
Workforce 2020: Is It Time for Disruptive Innovation?
Whether framed as a gap, a shortage or a mismatch, skill problems drive discussions around workforce and education policy today. Employers say they are not getting qualified candidates from educational institutions; unions and workforce advocates say that if employers looked harder and offered increased wages and improved benefits, qualified workers could be found. At the same time, community colleges and vocational training centers say that rapid changes in technology make it cost-prohibitive to buy the latest machines and training tools. Aspiring workers say they are unaware of the ...
Journal Article
Housing the Workforce in the Rural Fifth District
Although real estate is often less costly in rural areas than in urban areas, many low- and middle-income households in rural areas struggle with housing expense. There are multiple reasons why rural households end up financially constrained by housing costs. First, incomes tend to be lower in rural areas. Second, there are limited available units — multifamily or single family — in rural areas for reasons that reflect the unique challenges of the rural housing landscape.