Upskill/Backfill Strategies: Advancing Incumbent Workers and Opening Opportunities for Job Seekers

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) High Growth and Emerging Industry Sectors grant program from 2009 to 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor funded 152 grantees across the country to train unemployed and dislocated workers in emerging and growing sectors such as health care and “green jobs.” Their experience offers insight into how training programs and employers partnered to advance incumbent workers and open entry-level positions for unemployed job seekers—an approach known as “upskill/backfill.” This paper summarizes key lessons learned from that experience and documents benefits to job seekers, employers, and communities.