The study used propensity score matching to construct a comparison group from the population of employment service participants, which included people without jobs who sought employment and training services from the Ohio employment exchange agency during the study period. The study estimated propensity scores based on gender, race, education, the Local Workforce Investment Area, quarter of program entry, employment in prior quarters, and interaction terms between several characteristics. The matched comparison group consisted of people who had socioeconomic characteristics and prior employment outcomes similar to those of participants in the intervention group.
The study did not discuss a cost per participant or a comparison of costs and benefits.
The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership was created in 2009. Participants entered the program between January 2010 and February 2012. Their outcomes were analyzed through the end of 2012.
The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership used a career pathways framework—a series of training programs and support services that progressively lead to higher credentials and more advanced employment opportunities. Services included the following:
- Work-readiness activities and soft-skills training. Participants were offered training focused on improving both professional and personal skills.
- Work experience. Participants who completed the work-readiness activities were placed in internships or part-time jobs to gain relevant work experience.
- Occupational training. Participants who completed work-readiness activities and retained entry-level jobs could receive help obtaining a National Career Readiness Certificate and enrolling in a Certified Production Technician program.
- Education and apprenticeships. Participants who earned certifications and obtained work experience could enroll in college to attain an associate’s degree or could take part in specialized apprenticeships with partner employers.
- Job-search assistance. Participants could receive job-search assistance that connected them to employers with needs that fit their experience and skills. This assistance was offered to participants regardless of whether they earned a credential.
- Case management. Participants worked with a case manager to enroll in and coordinate the trainings and services described above.
The study did not discuss any tools to measure fidelity to the intervention model.
Funding was provided mainly by the National Fund for Workforce Solutions in combination with funds from numerous private and public organizations.
The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership was delivered in the Greater Cincinnati area of southwest Ohio. Before the program’s implementation, the greater Cincinnati area saw a decline in manufacturing, losing 20 percent of its manufacturing jobs between 2001 and 2006.
The Partners for a Competitive Workforce collaborative, a regional partnership of Workforce Investment Boards, employers, community colleges, and service providers, implemented the intervention. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership included nearly 40 employers, 8 educational institutions, and 8 community-based organizations.
The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership included nearly 40 employers, 8 educational institutions, and 8 community-based organizations.
The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership focused on individuals who were unemployed and interested in advanced manufacturing jobs, as well as entry-level workers interested in advancing their careers. The program served 684 participants, 66 percent of whom were men. Over three-fourths were Black (76 percent), and 21 percent were White. About one-third (31 percent) of participants had an associate’s degree, some college, or a college degree; 40 percent had a high school diploma; and 29 percent had less than a high school diploma. Half of the participants were less than 35 years old (51 percent) and had not worked in the year before program entry (50 percent), and 95 percent had no experience in the manufacturing industry. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership sought to recruit a high number of women and racial minorities.
Most participants received work-readiness training (73 percent) and job-search assistance or work experience and apprenticeships (82 percent). Twenty-three percent of participants received occupational training or education services, but just 8 percent earned a credential. Less than 20 percent of participants received all services, and just 14 percent received no services at all. The study noted that the higher percentages of participants receiving work-readiness and job-search services suggested that participants might have been more interested in finding a job or improving their employability than in receiving training focused on manufacturing.
Partners for a Competitive Workforce (formerly the Greater Cincinnati Workforce Network) directly hired a career pathways leader to recruit employers and education and training organizations. The program worked with those partners to develop goals, career pathways, and plans for recruitment and training. It also hired a part-time career planning coach to help the career pathways leader with planning, implementation, and coordination for members of the partnership. The study authors did not include information on the number of staff or their training, degrees, or certifications.