In 2014, only about half of youth and young adults ages 16-24 held jobs, and about one in five were neither working nor in school. This problem most severely affects disadvantaged groups, including individuals with less education, lower incomes, and…

In this four-minute video from the Center for Poverty Research at the University of California, Davis, sociologist Victoria Smith describes the various challenges facing low-wage workers. Policies that increase earnings and stabilize work schedules…

This purpose of this paper, from MDRC, was to conduct a scan of the current state of the evidence regarding what works in helping disconnected young people. To develop the paper, MDRC conducted a literature review and reviews of…

Employment social enterprises offer individuals with employment barriers an opportunity to gain real-world work experience in settings that combine a transitional jobs model with a business mission of financial viability. Based on analysis of data…

This career exploration tool from the O*NET Resource Center helps caseworkers understand their clients’ strengths and areas in which they would like to explore further education or training. It helps identify occupations that fit…

The implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law in 2014, presents an extraordinary opportunity for the publicly-funded workforce development system. The system can now demonstrate its ability to improve job…

The National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC) hosted a webinar on Wednesday, January 20, 2016. The webinar focused on how responsible fatherhood programs and other interested stakeholders can help low-income fathers gain new employment…

This Lead Center brief details employer perspectives on customized employment for individuals with disabilities. In customized employment, the job candidate and employer create an individualized match between the candidate’s strengths and interests…

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Quick Start Action Planners (QSAPs) are web-based self-assessment tools designed to help state and local leaders identify areas of strength and challenges as they prepare their workforce systems…