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Subgroups
Applicants could participate in the study if they were eligible for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult or Dislocated Worker Programs, had reading and math proficiency at the 6th-grade level, had English proficiency, and passed a drug screening test. People were prioritized for the intervention if they had reading scores at or above the 6th-grade level and math scores at the 9th-grade level, had interest in the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute assessment, and agreed to undergo a background check. Authors randomly assigned eligible people to the intervention group or the comparison group. A total of 745 people were randomly assigned with a 70 percent probability to the intervention group and a 30 percent probability to the comparison group. Seven people were removed because of ineligibility or because they dropped out of the study, for a total of 514 in the intervention group and 224 in the comparison group.
People were randomly assigned to receive services from October 2013 to July 2015 and were followed for up to two years after random assignment.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity funded the study.
Most of the people assigned to the intervention condition were male (80 percent), and the majority were White (72 percent). About one-third had a criminal record (35 percent), and about half had previously been employed in manufacturing (56 percent). Almost all people in the intervention condition had a high school diploma or GED (98 percent).
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
The program was created to prepare workers for WIA services.
The intervention served workers who were eligible for the WIA Adult or Dislocated Worker Programs. People participating in the ATIM program received basic skills training, occupational training focused on manufacturing and leading to stackable credentials, work-based learning opportunities (such as internships, on-the-job-training, and job shadowing), assistance with developing personalized training and employment plans, and case management. ATIM connected people to trainings at community colleges and other training centers focused on machining, welding, mechatronics, and logistics and assembly.
Comparison group members were allowed to enroll in and receive training funded by WIA, including on-the-job training opportunities, funds for occupational training, a work readiness training, and case management.
None
The median time between random assignment and completion of a training program was five months. For all people assigned to the intervention condition, follow-up services were provided through the end of 2015.
Workforce Innovation Fund grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
The program took place in five regions in Illinois. Orientation, application, and eligibility determinations took place mostly at local American Job Centers.
Enrollment in occupational skills training