Level
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English for Advancement (EfA)

Intervention (standard name)

EfA provided vocational English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), including lessons focused on answering job interview questions, communicating in the workplace, and finding a job. EfA participants attended classes for 2 to 12 months, depending on their skill and education level. About 24 months after the program’s start, evaluators followed up with participants to assess participants’ employment and earnings.

Credentials to Careers (C2C)—Shoreline Community College

C2C was a community college consortium designed to develop and provide education and training to prepare unemployed, underemployed, and displaced workers to take on jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math industries. Participants in Shoreline Community College’s local C2C program enrolled in machinist training programs such as the Machine Maintenance Certificate and Quality Assurance Certificate programs. Career navigators led work-readiness activities focused on job placement and building relationships with employers, as well as soft-skills coaching.

Credentials to Careers (C2C)—Northern Virginia Community College

C2C was a community college consortium designed to develop and provide education and training to prepare unemployed, underemployed, and displaced workers to take on jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math industries. Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA’s) local C2C program, called NOVA’s IT Pathway, led to credentials and careers in IT-related fields. The program was implemented by NOVA and its strategic community and business partners.

Training Focused Program (as compared with Work Plus)

To continue to receive benefits, TANF participants were required to engage in employment-related activities for 32 hours per week. Program staff allowed TANF participants in the Training Focused intervention to decrease work hours per week to zero hours to pursue education and training activities, with the philosophy that eliminating the requirement to engage in work would allow participants to access the most useful education and training programs.