An apprenticeship is a proven strategy to develop a talent pipeline for a skilled workforce. Apprenticeship programs can help businesses mitigate workforce shortages and provide workers with paid work experience, classroom instruction, progressive wage increases, and a nationally recognized credential. However, apprenticeship completion rates are a concern for employers, labor organizations, and other organizations that sponsor and operate these programs. As apprenticeship expansion efforts continue to gain traction, it is imperative to consider the factors that may prevent apprentices from being successful. This AIR brief summarizes the findings of studies on apprentice retention and provides recommended strategies to mitigate factors negatively affecting attrition.

Understanding trauma and being able to implement trauma-informed programming is critical to the success of any youth organization working with marginalized populations. Although many organizations might talk about trauma, they also struggle to take that knowledge and implement changes to programs and policies that are truly trauma informed. The National Youth Employment Coalition will host the second webinar of a two-part series on November 9, 2023 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET, where participants will hear discussions on the behaviors that adults working with young people can engage in that are trauma-informed and supportive. This workshop will also discuss how helping relationships can go awry, mimicking, usually unintentionally, the types of abusive relationships that young people have experienced.

This Native Center webinar is a part of a series that examines the history of disability within Native communities, present-day challenges, and the possible solutions to creating a more equitable and accessible future for Native people with disabilities. Participants come away from the series with a greater understanding of the unique intersectionality of disability and Native populations as well as culturally-based strategies and approaches that can help improve the quality of life for Native people with disabilities. The Native Center will be hosting the November webinar on November 16, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MDT, which will highlight available resources and programs for Native veterans.

In 2019, Code for America conducted a nationwide study of enrollment in public benefits programs (including TANF), identifying success rates, pain points, and suggested changes for improving access for citizens and lessening the load on caseworkers. Four years later, an updated Benefits Enrollment Field Guide has been published, chronicling how the last few years have seen a new approach to public benefits programs take root—an approach aimed at making significant improvements to citizens’ enrollment experiences and end-to-end benefits journey —thanks to faster and more accurate responses from agencies leading to better outcomes. This American Public Human Services Association blogpost summarizes the updated guide, featuring the surveyed public programs, the four major roadblocks, and a notable success story in Washington D.C.

COTS Detroit, an organization with a long history of providing support to individuals and families experiencing or overcoming homelessness, achieved a milestone by becoming the first organization in the EMPath Economic Mobility Exchange to receive certification in a research-backed economic mobility coaching method. In this Question-and-Answer resource, the COTS Detroit Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships discusses their mission and the impact of economic mobility coaching on the communities they serve.

Young people need both cross-cutting skills and specialized knowledge to thrive in the rapidly changing economy, and business and industry leaders require fresh talent to innovate and grow. Pathways are a strategy to connect education with careers to meet the needs of youth, educators, and employers and create a more thriving and equitable economy. College and career pathways expand economic opportunity for all young people and meet regional talent needs. This Jobs for the Future framework outlines key considerations and promising strategies for pathways leaders who seek to achieve outcomes for youth while strengthening rural communities.

One goal of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) employment services is to improve equitable and stable employment outcomes for job seekers. However, employment services driven by biased service delivery approaches might exacerbate and reinforce existing disparities within the labor market. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief provides strategies that staff members can use while working with TANF participants to increase equitable access to employment opportunities. It also describes strategies that TANF program leaders can use to combat biases at an organizational level.

Military spouses and Transitioning Service Members are often an overlooked part of the military community and need workforce support. Alongside Veterans, these populations face higher than average unemployment rates and have unique barriers to employment that need to be addressed including gaining civilian certifications, accessing a network of local businesses, and translating military experience into a resume. The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals will host a webinar on November 15, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. CT, where participants will learn how Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corporation (AAWDC), the Title 1 service provider in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, launched Military Career Connection using Dislocated Worker funding to address the growing need of the military community. Participants will also learn how AAWDC developed relationships with the installations, what partners to connect with to serve this population, and the best practices learned through developing this program.

In 2022, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and Project SPARC (Student-Parents Are Reimagining CalWORKs) conducted research to better understand the barriers experienced by parenting students in CalWORKs, California’s cash assistance program for families with children. Parenting students work hard every day to pursue their goals, often juggling work, classes, and caregiving responsibilities. Public systems and programs can provide critical support, but frequently create additional hurdles for parenting students and their families, especially those with low incomes. This CSSP brief highlights findings from the research on parenting students’ experiences transferring to four-year institutions. Inadequate support for families’ basic needs combined with limited support at four-year institutions for parenting students who participate in CalWORKs are significant barriers for parenting students as they further their education.

As of 2021, up to 17.5% of working age American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians reported they have a disability. However, only 2.2% of Division of Indian and Native American Programs grantee participants reported they have a disability. Low reporting may indicate that participants do not know that they can receive accommodations to help them be more successful during a training program and at their workplace if they disclose that they have a disability. Also, workforce development staff may not realize that they can leverage partners to provide more comprehensive services for participants with disabilities to ensure their success and/or may not know how to broach the topic with customers.

The National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities hosted part-two of a two-part series on December 10, 2021 where attendees learned best practices and strategies in building partnerships and leveraging resources across federal, state, and local systems.