This Annie E. Casey Foundation-supported study, authored by Brookings and Child Trends, identifies three factors that contribute to future economic progress among low-income youth: a post-secondary education (potentially equalizes young adults…

This Jobs for the Future research report describes how short-term apprenticeship programs can be integrated into a full career ladder. It identifies how shorter apprenticeships (18 months or less) might represent stackable rungs on the career ladder…

An MDRC infographic provides initial findings of the Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) initiative, which targets youth ages 15-25 who have been involved in the child welfare and justice systems, or who are homeless. The infographic…

This report evaluates the early impacts of the Year Up program. Year Up is a national training program for youth between 18-24 years of age. It provides individuals with 6 months of full-time training in IT and financial service sectors, followed by…

This paper from MDRC highlights the work of YouthForce NOLA, which works to prepare New Orleans public high school students for post-secondary education and careers in three in-demand local industries: health sciences, creative media and technology…

This brief from the Urban Institute analyzes young adults who progressed through initial career pathway programs to eventually secure middle-skill jobs in their industries. Though Career Pathway programs are a promising model, there is less data…

This working paper from the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research examines the effects of receipt of the federal Pell Grant on future earnings of low-income students and a cost-benefit analysis for the program. Researchers found that Pell Grant…

Community colleges have the potential to provide low-cost, high-quality training to students if they partner with local business and industry leaders. This toolkit from the Brookings Institution provides practical strategies for community colleges…

This report from MDRC presents the interim impact findings from an ongoing evaluation of YouthBuild, a program that employs at-risk youth in the construction field, teaching them marketable skills while also supporting them to earn their high school…

This brief from Mathematica Policy Research highlights a newer practice in college settings called competency-based education (CBE), which allows students to work at their own pace towards a credential, often meeting workforce demands faster than…