Participants started the program with a four-day preemployment, life-skills class focusing on job-readiness issues, such as workplace behavior, job search skills, and decision making. The program then placed participants in transitional jobs at New York City agencies. Participants worked in these transitional jobs for four days a week at the state minimum wage and were paid at the end of each day. On the fifth day of each week, participants met with job coaches at the CEO office to discuss their performance at the transitional job and prepare for future interviews.

The TWC’s transitional jobs program began with a two-week orientation, and from 2004 to 2007, the TWC paid participants a stipend of $25 for each day of orientation that they attended. The TWC staff then used information from interest assessments and other orientation tools to place participants in a transitional, subsidized job where the TWC paid them minimum wage. The TWC also trained on-site partners to mentor participants in the workplace. Participants worked at those jobs for 25 hours per week for up to six months.

Six employment and training organizations implemented the Fathers at Work Initiative. All sites offered three strategies: employment services, fatherhood workshops, and child support services. Each site had flexibility to determine how services were provided and diverged in how they provided skills training, the intensity of available fatherhood services, and the way they worked with child support agencies.

PFS was one of the demonstration projects made possible by Section 1115 waivers to the rules in effect at the time for the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. These Section 1115 waivers allowed states to test new approaches to advance the objectives of the AFDC program.

JVS-Boston developed its medical billing and accounting training programs with input from employers who served on advisory committees. Potential participants were interviewed to confirm that they would benefit from the training program based on their interests, abilities, and qualifications. Participants received a certificate of completion at the end of the program. Training participants were also offered other services available at JVS-Boston, including a four- to six-week internship and training on job-readiness skills.

The TWC’s transitional jobs program began with a two-week orientation, and from 2004 to 2007, the TWC paid participants a stipend of $25 for each day of orientation that they attended. The TWC staff then used information from interest assessments and other orientation tools to place participants in a transitional, subsidized job where the TWC paid them minimum wage. The TWC also trained on-site partners to mentor participants in the workplace. Participants worked at those jobs for 25 hours per week for up to six months.

Businesses had to propose the training type and expected benefit of the program to receive a grant. Depending on the business, the trainings could range from 12 weeks to one year. The trainings included on-the-job training to improve employees’ productive work skills and education skills, such as reading, math, and English as a second language.

STEP participants received home visits from community liaisons to identify and mitigate any barriers that might prevent participants from traveling to the program offices. In the program offices, participants were assigned a case coordinator, who conducted assessments to determine barriers to employment. Case coordinators worked with no more than 20 participants at a time. The case coordinator and specialized vocational rehabilitation staff developed a plan to address the barriers, and participants began activities tailored to overcoming their barriers.

The MFSP program implemented by the Atlanta Urban League focused first on providing full-time adult basic education and GED instruction to women with poor reading, writing, or math skills, and then occupational skills training and additional supports once participants overcame academic barriers.

WRTP provided short-term training programs—selected to match local labor market demand—that resulted in nursing assistant, medical assistant, and construction certificates. Participants also received soft skills training, case management, remedial education, job placement assistance, and post-employment services. Child care and transportation assistance were available for participants receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Training programs ranged from 40 to 160 hours and lasted from two to eight weeks.