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Credential Seekers Research & Reports

Articles, reports and research projects relevant to credential seekers, career changers, and workforce development.

Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow (PDF) (Executive Office of the President, Council of Economic Advisers, July 2009). Recommendations for improving educational system to prepare workers for skills-based economy.

Working Learners: Educating Our Entire Workforce for success in the 21st Century (Center for American Progress, June 2009). Report makes recommendations for aligning workforce training and postsecondary education.

A Jobs Bill for the College Educated (Inside Higher Ed, February 23, 2009). A full 37 percent of the jobs created or saved by the stimulus bill will require an associate degree or greater.

The Future of Middle-Skill Jobs (Holzer and Lerman, Center on Children and Families, February 2009). Analysis of trends in supply and demand for workers with different levels of education and training.

The Job Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, 2009 (PDF) (Romer and Bernstein, January 2009). Study of the impact of the plan on job creation/worker training.

Innovation Strategies for New System of Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning (PDF) (CAEL and Innovation Network for Communities, November 2008). Ideas for innovation in workforce development and lifelong learning.

Economic and Noneconomic Outcomes for GED Credential Recipients (PDF) (Song, Hsu, 2008). This study provides evidence on professional and personal outcomes of obtaining a GED credential for adults.

Pathways to Encore Careers (PDF) (MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures, 2008). Features lessons learned by ten community colleges given grants to create programs for boomers pursuing encore careers.

BLS Spotlight on Statistics: Older Workers (PDF) (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008). Examines demographic trends of older adults over 65 years old in the American workforce.

Building an Experience Dividend State Governments Lead the Call to Engage Boomers (PDF) (Civic Ventures Policy Series, 2008). As thousands of baby boomers turn 60 every day, 5 states are taking the lead in seeing the social potential of the aging baby boomers.

Developing a Livable San Diego County for All Ages (PDF) (MetLife Foundation, 2008). Documents the fourth workshop in a series on Aging in Place which focused on lifelong learning.

The Adult Learner (PDF) (Eduventures, 2008). Presents a synopsis of the characteristics, motivations, and preferences of adult learners in regards to educational opportunities and how to best recruit them.

Systems Change: A Survey of Program Activities (PDF) (Aspen Institute, 2008). Explores ways sector initiatives engage in "systems change" activities to help address structural issues—in industry practices, education and training infrastructure, and public policy—that hamper their success.

Working Together to Create Stronger Workforce Partnerships (PDF) (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2008). Traces how various funders—national foundations, smaller local foundations, and government agencies can work together to have an impact on key economic challenges.

Strengthening Rural Families: Expanding College and Job-Skills Opportunities in Western Maine (PDF) (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2008). In Franklin County, Maine, a group of local leaders has brought community college classes and jobs skills training to their area, giving residents new opportunities to qualify for good jobs and higher expectations for their futures.

Engaging Mature Adults in the Workforce (PDF) (NGA Center for Best Practices, July 2007). This issue brief identifies several strategies for state leaders and policymakers, including promoting lifelong learning by enhancing training and educational opportunities for mature workers.

Are You Experienced? How Boomers Can Help Our Government Meet Its Talent Needs (PDF) (Civic Ventures, 2007). As millions of baby boomers begin to retire, our federal government, the nation's largest employer, will be especially hard hit.

Strengthening Workforce Policy: Applying the Lessons of the Jobs Initiative to Five Key Challenges (PDF) (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2007). Identifies five central problems that confront policymakers who are interested in improving workforce development programs.

Workplace Flexibility Fact Sheets (The Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, 2007). Provide concise topical snapshots and include the most rigorous statistics available. Each fact sheet features at least two charts or figures.

Monthly Labor Review Online: Labor Force Archives (Monthly Labor Review). A collection of articles covering various specific and general issues dealing with the state of our nation's workforce and projections for the future.

Sector Strategies in Brief (PDF) (The Aspen Institute, 2007). Provides a concise overview of the elements and outcomes associated with sector work.

Do Displaced Workers Benefit from Community College Courses? (PDF) (LaLonde, Sullivan, October 2005). Research indicates that one year of community college schooling raises the earnings of male displaced workers by 7 percent and even more for female displaced workers.

A Work-Filled Retirement: Workers' Changing Views on Employment and Leisure-Full Report (PDF) (Work Trends, 2005). National Work Trends survey finds that nearly 7 in 10 American workers plan to continue to work full- or part-time for pay following retirement from their main job.

Older Workers: What Keeps Them Working? (PDF) (Center on Aging and Work at Boston College, 2005). Examines some of the important reasons that a greater percentage of today's older workers are more likely to continue work than their older counterparts did during the last several decades.

The Impact of Community College Retraining on Older Displaced Workers: Should We Teach Old Dogs New Tricks? (PDF) (Jacobson, LaLonde, Sullivan, March 2004).  Finds that while older workers participate in community college schooling at lower rates than younger workers, the impact on their quarterly earnings is similar.

Employer Best Practices for Mature Workers (PDF) (AARP, 2004). Analyzes the workforce practices of current and former AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 and attempts to identify the best practices for addressing the needs of mature workers.

Industry-Specific Workforce Development: Key Research Findings and Implications for the Workforce Investment Act (PDF) (Workforce Strategies Institute, 2003). Policy brief that draws on findings from a multi-faceted investigation of industry-specific or "sectoral" workforce development, to offer an overview of this research and discuss implications for Workforce Investment Act legislation.

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Email us at lifelong_learning@ace.nche.edu to suggest an article, report or research project on adults in career transition or workforce development.

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lifelong_learning@ace.nche.edu
This page last updated on 08/28/2009