The Green Jobs and Health Care Impact Evaluation: Findings from the Implementation Study of Four Training Program for Unemployed and Disadvantaged Workers
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The Green Jobs and Health Care Impact Evaluation: Findings from the Implementation Study of Four Training Program for Unemployed and Disadvantaged Workers

Published: May 30, 2016
Publisher: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration
Human Services Employment Training and Re-employment Data Analytics Research and Evaluation Surveys and Data Collection Evaluation Design Policy Analysis
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Authors

Elizabeth Copson

Karin Martinson

Valerie Benson

Michael Benson

Annalisa Mastri

Karen Needels

Julie Williams

Key Findings

Key Findings:

  • The grantees’ programs were successful in serving people from disadvantaged populations, having used aggressive marketing and recruitment efforts to identify program participants.
  • The programs achieved high participation levels, as well as high participant completion rates—possibly because of the short length of training that was provided. Some participants participated in more than one training program. Grantees also integrated job readiness and job search skills supportive services into their service strategies.
  • Both grantees that offered training for “green” jobs found that not as many jobs in that sector became available as had been initially expected. As a result, the grantees adjusted to provide training that would better meet employers’ needs.
  • Grantees reported sustained institutional benefits from operating the grant. Although all grantees reported that resources were not available to continue program operations after the grant period ended, they hoped to maintain some of the grant’s programmatic elements or practices as part of their ongoing service delivery strategy. 
The study, conducted in conjunction with Abt Associates, the prime contractor, estimated impacts on program participants and examined the implementation experiences of four sites that offered unemployed and other disadvantaged individuals training and support services that were funded through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 grants. The four sites were: (1) the American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center in Minnesota, (2) North Central Texas College, (3) Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan, and (4) the Kern Community College District in California. The first two focused on training in the health care fields, while the latter two focused on training for green jobs.

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