ProGov21 Policy Library

Willing to Work and Ready to Learn: More Adult Education Would Strengthen Michigan's Economy

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level State

State(s) Michigan

Source Michigan League for Public Policy

Policy Areas Community Development, Education

State policymakers consistently neglect adequately funding adult education, making it less accessible for low-skilled workers who want to build their skills, become financially self-sufficient and contribute to Michigan’s economy. Adult education is the key to preparing these workers...

Competency-Based Credentials Case Studies

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level State, National

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Traditionally, employers, workers and students have used academic degrees and diplomas as a proxy for the skills and knowledge needed to perform on the job. There is growing interest in the use of competency-based credentials to complement this approach; however, the current “market”...

Burning Questions: Assessing the Needs of the Union Grove-Yorkville Fire Department

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) Wisconsin

Source Wisconsin Policy Forum

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Public Safety

The Union Grove-Yorkville Fire Department (UGYFD) is staffed primarily by volunteer members who receive compensation only when called in to respond to a call or for time spent on training and education. Due to their paid-on-call staffing model, the UGYFD is struggling to maintain...

Moving Beyond the Count: Maryland’s Skills to Compete Initiative

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town, State

State(s) Maryland

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Maryland is taking bold steps to increase the number of workers who possess a post-secondary education credential. In particular, Skills2Compete Maryland (S2C Maryland) is a campaign aimed at increasing post-secondary success to strengthen the skills of Maryland’s workforce. This...

Developing Market-Relevant Curricula and Credentials: Employer Engagement for Community Colleges in Partnerships

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Business and education communities share an understanding of the type, level, and quantity of skills and credentials needed by the workforce. However, community colleges often struggle to engage employers effectively. This report outlines strategies community colleges can take to...

Detroit Adult Foundational Skill Development: Challenges and Solutions

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Community Development, Education

Nearly half of working age Detroiters do not have the essential foundational skills necessary to get a job or succeed in a career. At the same time, the need for strong foundational skills is growing. Detroit’s emerging economic comeback means that the number of jobs is growing, and...

Advancing American Economic Competitiveness Through Latino Immigrant Worker Success

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town, State, National

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of America's population, though many lack the necessary skills and education to meet the demands of industry and earn family sustaining wages. This report provides recommendations that can be taken in order to bridge the skills gap. These recommendations...

At a Crossroads: Options for Fire and Emergency Medical Services in the City of Milton

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) Wisconsin

Source Wisconsin Policy Forum

Policy Areas Community Development, Finance & Procurement, Public Safety

In response to labor shortages, fiscal challenges, and recruitment and retention barriers facing emergency medical services (EMS) agencies across Wisconsin, the City of Milton is considering alternative options for their future fire and rescue services. This report evaluates the city's...

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due: Creating a Competency-Based Qualifications Framework for Postsecondary Education and Training

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level State, National

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Incomes, job security, and economic growth increasingly depend on postsecondary credentials with value in the labor market. While a vast number of adults in the labor market engage in noncredit occupational education and training, without common metrics or quality assurance mechanisms,...

Achieving Financial Stability Through Regional Workforce Funder Collaboratives

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Increased global competition has led to declines in the American manufacturing sector, requiring U.S. workers to possess stronger skills and broader competencies in order to succeed in the current job market; in particular, postsecondary education or technical training is fundamental...

Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: Promoting the Education & Advancement of Hispanic Immigrant Workers in America

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2007

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

In spite of overwhelming odds, some immigrants with minimal academic credentials are finding their way to college, entering post-secondary programs and earning credentials that provide them with the skills required to get and keep good jobs. They are doing so with the assistance of...

Addressing Detroit’s Basic Skills Crisis

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2011

Level City or Town

State(s) Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

The Detroit Regional Workforce Fund’s efforts to connect low and moderate-income persons to career pathways is inhibited by the skills gap. As a result, the Detroit Regional Workforce Fund is pursuing several key policy and capacity-building efforts focused on increasing adult educational...

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

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level National

State(s) All States

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

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...

Building a Greener KC: Transforming an Industry

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2009

Level City or Town, County

State(s) Kansas

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Energy, Education

This report focuses on an association of city and county governments and metropolitan planning organizations which collaborate to identify new training needs of Kansas City area businesses attempting to adapt to sustainable energy and energy efficiency opportunities. Key findings...

Transforming Michigan’s Adult Learning Infrastructure

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2008

Level State

State(s) Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Michigan’s economy is transforming to one that demands new skills, knowledge, and credentials, especially post-secondary education. However, there are fewer adults able to meet this growing need; in fact, one out of three working-age Michigan adults lacks the basic skills or credentials...

Asset Development: A Framework to Align Economic Development, the Safety Net, and Education in Arizona

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level State

State(s) Arizona

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Education

Asset poor families, those that cannot sustain themselves without income for at least three months or weather emergencies without falling into the safety net, are consistently vulnerable. Arizona seeks to align its economic development, safety net, and education systems to benefit...

Detroit’s Untapped Talent: Partnerships and Pathways to Success

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2016

Level City or Town

State(s) Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

As Detroit has been met with a surge in economic growth, closing the critical skill gaps for Detroiters and attracting jobs to the city that fit entry-level skills sets are key to achieving shared economic prosperity. This report stresses the need for well aligned on-ramps to help...

Work in Progress: Latinos in the RI Workforce

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2013

Level City or Town

State(s) Rhode Island

Source The Economic Progress Institute

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Civil Rights

This infographic highlights some of the strengths and challenges facing Latinos in the Rhode Island workforce. Although the working age Latino population in Rhode Island is growing, they face a shrinking manufacturing industry and high rates of involuntary part-time employment....

What the Detroit Economic Mobility Grants Can Teach Us About Strengthening the Adult Foundational Skills System in Detroit

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

The Detroit Economic Mobility Grant Initiative, a 10-grant Detroit pilot program operating from mid-2018 through 2020, has demonstrated that adult education and occupational training programs can work together to substantially improve learner results by accelerating instruction and...

Perspectives on No Worker Left Behind: Results From a Participant Survey

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2014

Level State

State(s) Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) was an offer by the State of Michigan from 2007-2010 of free tuition to low-income and unemployed workers willing to go back to school and earn a market-relevant degree or credential. This study explores the experiences of those who enrolled in NWLB, seeking...

Creating Pathways to Careers in Precision Machining for Opportunity Youth

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level City or Town, State

State(s) Massachusetts, Michigan

Source Corporation for a Skilled Workforce

Policy Areas Education

Although the manufacturing industry is experiencing a resurgence, employers within the sector are reporting that they face a skilled worker shortage. A strategy to improve the basic and technical skills of young workers could create real career pathways for opportunity youth and...

Paid Leave Will Help Close the Gender Wage Gap

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2024

Level National

State(s) All States

Source -

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Economic Justice

This fact sheet addresses the gender wage gap in the United States. Women are paid significantly less than men, particularly women of color. A national paid leave program along with affordable child care is being proposed to help women remain in the workforce and close the gender...

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