This report from the Department of Labor provides an overview of the evidence behind effective job training programs for youth and adults. For adults, the evidence supports post-secondary education related to an in-demand field, employer engagement, and job training that is closely related to a real job or occupation. There is less evidence on what works for youth, but early experience to career and higher education information and work experience can be beneficial. The report concludes with next steps to expand what works and fill the gaps in evidence.

This Jobs for the Future report provides recommendations for state community college systems to use real-time labor market information to build better middle-skill pathways in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). First, the authors provide an overview about the hidden middle-skill STEM market and real-time labor market information. Next, they provide five recommendations to support the use of real-time LMI to develop middle-skill STEM pathways. Those recommendations include using real-time LMI as a long-term change strategy, strengthening state-level data systems to support real-time LMI, providing technical assistance to use real-time LMI, and integrating real-time LMI into critical ongoing decision-making.

The Department of Labor-funded Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants aim to build the capacity of community colleges to develop and run training programs that lead to career pathways and future workforce success for participants. This toolkit discusses program sustainability, with practical strategies that programs can use to sustain elements of TAACCCT after the grant funding ends. Also discussed is the concept of sustainability planning, including worksheets to assist programs in developing an individualized sustainability plan.

The National Skills Coalition’s Stackable Credential Policy Scan shows that nineteen states support industry-recognized post-secondary stackable credentials that can accumulate toward a higher level certificate or associate degree. These states can utilize this toolkit to expand upon their current policy, and states without a similar policy in place can use this toolkit to establish their own.

This fact sheet and press release from the U.S. Department of Education highlights a joint commitment between the U.S. Departments of Education, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Treasury. The agencies are committed to aligning federal supports to promote college access and completion. These efforts will help many Americans break down barriers they face in accessing the knowledge and skills needed to get a well-paying job, support their families, and contribute to their communities.

Work-based courses use jobs as learning labs, essentially bringing colleges to the production line. This toolkit from Jobs for the Future was created for community colleges that are interested in incorporating a work-based course model into their institutions. The toolkit includes the six steps of implementation, tools and resources, and videos that support program design and implementation process.

The U.S. Department of Education published this list of two-year colleges that enroll over 40% low-income students and have high outcomes for that population. The list includes share of low-income students, average net price, percentage repaying loans, and average earnings.

A growing body of research suggests there is a high economic return to participation in Adult Basic Skills (ABS) programs. This research brief, from Portland State University, is the first of a series of Research Briefs that utilize data from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL) to examine long-term impacts of ABS program participation on a range of outcome measures. This first report considers the impact on their earnings. Subsequent reports will examine the impact of participation on literacy proficiency, General Educational Development (GED) attainment, engagement in postsecondary education, and voting in general elections (a measure of civic engagement).

This newly released issue brief from the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) provides information and examples of how TANF agencies can support postsecondary completion for TANF recipients through work-study programs. Through these programs, TANF recipients may gain vital financial support while working toward credentials, as well as obtain relevant work experience that can improve their chances of finding a job that provides economic stability.