Sector Strategies for Workforce Development

Sector programs train people for high-quality jobs in industries that have strong local demand and offer the opportunity for career advancement. Most programs offer similar services: job-readiness training (including professional skills development), occupational skills training, and support services. These programs can improve both the educational and the economic outcomes of low-income adults trying to enter and advance in the labor market. This MDRC paper presents recommendations that can help policymakers and practitioners develop high-quality programs to assist unemployed people in obtaining the skills and support they need to work in high-wage, high-growth sectors of the labor market in their regions.