Aspen Institute's Workforce Strategies Initiative report highlights the numerous challenges adult learners face as they attempt to enter community college, persist to completing a certificate or degree, and successfully transition to employment. The report also provides various examples on how nonprofit organizations and community colleges have worked together to help adult learners overcome these challenges.

The National Telecommunications & Information Administration released a report based on data from the Census Bureau's July 2011 Current Population Survey (CPS) Computer and Internet Use Supplement. This study presents data collected from 53,000 households, reporting on Americans' online activities from job searching and training to other research. The report shows that widespread Internet use benefits society.

The Center for Law and Social Policy released a Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) Policy Brief discussing SNAP work requirements and time limits. Background information is provided on SNAP, along with recommendations to improve program operations.

MDRC released a new policy brief that discusses a new skills-building model designed to help low-income adults prepare for, enter, and succeed in quality jobs in high-demand fields with opportunities for career growth. WorkAdvance uses strategies found in sector-based employment programs, combined with career coaching after participants are placed into jobs.

The U.S. Census Bureau has improved the variety of online courses it offers, as well as the process for learning about them and registering. Two of their more popular offerings for the workforce community include "Using Census Data for Grant Applications" and "How to Navigate American FactFinder."

McKinsey & Company's Center for Government (MCG) released a report titled, "Education to Employment: Designing a System that Works." This report examines dual global crises, the high levels of youth unemployment, and a shortage of job seekers with critical skills. The report discusses how a country can resolve this issue and bring young people from education to employment, examining more than 100 education-to-employment initiatives from 25 countries. In addition to this, a survey of youth, education providers, and employers in nine countries that are diverse in geography and socioeconomic contexts is assessed. Lastly, the report focuses on skill development, giving special attention to the mechanisms that connect education to employment

In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expanded investment in States' labor market information (LMI) systems to help create new jobs, save existing ones, spur economic activity, and invest in long-term growth. As part of the Recovery Act funding for green jobs, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $50 million in State LMI improvement grants to 30 grantees, including 24 individual State workforce agencies and six consortia. The "Investing in Labor-Market Information (LMI): Insights from the Recovery Act LMI Grants" report describes experiences of nine selected grantees and presents lessons that may inform future efforts, while the "Investing in Labor-Market Information (LMI): A Summary of the State LMI Improvement Grants" summary offers information about grantees' goals, definitions of green jobs, partners and stakeholders, activities, products, and dissemination strategies.

Mathematica released a report on the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the nation's largest source of training and employment services, in which they conducted a study of States' and local areas' use of eight WIA policy waivers. This final report provides descriptive analysis of the findings from each phase of data collection, discussing the reasons for waiver requests and implementation of waivers at the State and local levels, the successes and challenges of these efforts, and lessons that can be learned from these States' and local areas' waiver use.

The Center for Studying Disability Policy and Mathematica Policy Research released a report summarizing policies and programs that the United States and 10 other Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries are using to provide income support and vocational rehabilitation to transition-age youth with disabilities. The report examines common barriers that inhibit a large portion of young Americans with disabilities from transitioning into adulthood with gainful and stable employment. The four major themes that emerged from the report are: 1) a range of efforts has been made to promote employment, 2) investment in large-scale pilot projects has been helpful to governments to identify what works, 3) most countries are operating programs at various government levels designed to improve access to adult services for people with disabilities, and 4) all countries have actively pursued solutions to the problem of inadequate coordination of youth and adult services.

Mathematica issued an information brief entitled, "Ticket to Work Participants: Then and Now." Created by Congress to help beneficiaries with disabilities find employment, the Ticket to Work (TTW) program was revised in 2008 to make it more attractive to employment service providers. This brief discusses how the TTW participant population has changed under the revised regulations, and examines how the regulations may have affected beneficiaries' service use, employment outcomes, and satisfaction with TTW.