This National Skills Coalition report identifies the role of non-degree credentials as a means to expand economic and educational opportunities for underserved workers. The report offers a proposed set of quality assurance systems for these non-degree credentials, developed in consultation with 12 states, so that policy makers can support these training programs with public resources. Students can enroll in high-quality programs, and employers can validate the connection between the credential and industry needs.

This National Skills Coalition blogpost summarizes the Coalition’s work on non-degree credentials and how to define quality non-degree credentials that are valid, reliable, and transparent. The blogpost also explores how states could support industry partnerships, expand apprenticeships and work-based learning, and increase financial aid and non-tuition supportive services for persons seeking non-degree credentials.

This U.S. Department of Labor’s Competency Model Clearinghouse offers three new resources to support career pathway development. They include How to Crosswalk Competency Models for Curriculum Development: A Video Series Concept, a set of videos that illustrate how community colleges and employers use competency models to develop curricula; Customizing Competency Models Through Convening Guide, a set of how-to-guides to create partnerships among regional workforce partners to develop customized competency models that are based on regional labor market needs; and U.S. DOL Competency Model Peer Learning Group, a workforce development practitioner learning series on how to use and find resources within the agency’s Competency Model Clearinghouse.

This Administration for Children and Families research-to-practice brief offers examples of employer engagement that have occurred under the HPOG program. The brief also outlines how these employer partnerships were designed and the outcomes that have resulted for HPOG participants.

This brief describes the strong collaborative culture among TANF and WIOA programs at the Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development (LCEWD) in Colorado. This American Job Center’s strategies to coordinate service delivery include targeted co-enrollments in TANF and WIOA, cross-program teams to organize work-based learning opportunities, and communication platforms to discuss shared customers. Leadership has also formalized collaboration with intentional hiring practices, management teams, and a shared mission.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

This Lumina Foundation issue paper looks at how community colleges are moving towards emphasizing workforce education for underserved populations and ways that colleges build partnerships with employers. The issue paper also looks at the adoption of shorter, stackable credentials and the value of credentials in the labor market as workers enter and progress through career pathways.

This toolkit issued by Reimagine Retail Chicagoland provides useful information on designing and implementing career pathways in the retail industry. The toolkit offers sources for labor market information that can be used to develop the pathways and provides examples of “scripts” and language to use to create employer partnerships. There is also a section that evaluates how to use engaged employers’ feedback to create and strengthen sustainable workforce partnerships in the retail industry which can be applied to other industry sectors.

This brief highlights an innovative collaboration forged between a corporation, government agencies, and a community partner in New Hampshire to create a career pathway for TANF participants. Read more about how the partners designed a phased training model to directly integrate TANF program requirements and prepare participants for a pharmacy technician career.

This brief is part of the Emerging Practice Series of the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative, which highlights the strategies of TANF agencies and their partners to help low-income individuals gain and sustain meaningful employment. Each brief describes an emerging practice that has been implemented in one site, an overview of the program model, and the results that have been achieved. Compelling stories of participants’ success and suggestions from TANF agency staff to their peers provide actionable insights and on-the-ground perspectives.

The Anoka County Job Training Center is the only WIOA job center serving the county. It houses all public assistance programs, including TANF (called the Minnesota Family Investment Program), on-site WIOA partners, and child care services in the same building. As described in this brief, the Center has implemented strategies to streamline service delivery and co-enrollment among these programs, including a universal program application, a team of intake and eligibility specialists, and cross-program practices for adapting resources to meet client needs. This site also offers a rich mix of youth programming, such as employment and training opportunities for out-of-school and in-school youth, and a Human Services Youth Team to focus on young TANF recipients.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.

This case statement describes the American Job Centers in Central Arkansas (called Arkansas Workforce Centers). Strategies to coordinate cash assistance and employment services for TANF recipients and job seekers include in-house referrals between TANF and WIOA, the development of a new integrated data system (ARWINS) to track participant outcomes, and information sharing among program staff. Through strong relationships with local workforce development boards and business partners, the Workforce Centers also offer work-based learning and subsidized employment opportunities to job seekers.

Sections of the brief discuss joint service delivery, resource sharing, shared learning, and managing collaborative activities. Readers may also access links to the state TANF plan and funding information for more context and resources. This brief is part of the TANF Works! TANF/WIOA Collaboration Series, through which the Office of Family Assistance’s Integrating Innovative Employment and Economic Stability Strategies (IIEESS) initiative seeks to highlight innovative coordination strategies of TANF and WIOA programs to serve low-income or vulnerable populations.