This study was conducted by staff from Abt Associates, which co-administers CLEAR. The review of this study was conducted by ICF, which co-administers CLEAR and is trained in applying the CLEAR implementation study guidelines.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the implementation of the Ready to Work Partnership Grant program which provides grants to local organizations to enhance job opportunities in their communities and lower unemployment rates. This profile focuses on the Finger Lakes Hired (FLH) program.
- The study authors conducted an implementation evaluation using administrative data from the FLH program and qualitative data obtained through interviews with program staff and partners/employers collaborating with the FLH program.
- The study found that the majority participants attended the one-week employment readiness workshop, while only about a quarter of participants attended the occupational trainings. Additionally, the study found that one-on-one assistance from program Education and Employment Specialists (EES) was important to help participants strategize job searching and follow up on participant progress.
- The authors did not provide detailed information about steps taken to ensure data quality and their approach to data analysis.
- The companion impact study was reviewed by CLEAR in April 2024 and can be found here: The Ready to Work Partnership Grant evaluation: Final report of the impact study of four employment services programs for the long-term unemployed (Klerman et al., 2022).
Intervention Examined
Finger Lakes Hired (FLH) Program
Features of the Intervention
- Type of organization: Nonprofit organization
- Location/setting: Multi-site in New York
- Population served and scale: Long-term Unemployed or Underemployed; 1,007 participants served
- Industry focus: Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Information Technology (IT)
- Intervention activities: Job search and readiness assistance, occupational training, and work-based training
- Organizational partnerships: Community colleges and local employers
- Cost: Not Included
- Fidelity: Not Included
The Ready to Work (RTW) grant program, funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), awarded grants to local organizations to improve the long-term employment prospects of their local community and to reduce unemployment. In response to the 2008-2009 recession and rise in long-term unemployment, the DOL awarded $180 million in grants in 2014 to offer tailored employment services to individuals who had been out of work for 27 weeks or more. The grants focused on employment in high-growth industries and occupations, specifically those being filled by H1-B foreign workers.
RochesterWorks!, a Workforce Investment Board for Monroe County in New York state, implemented the Finger Lakes Hired (FLH) program. The FLH program operated out of three Career Centers in Monroe County and provided job readiness courses, occupational training, and worked-based training to help people secure jobs in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology. To be eligible for the FLH program, individuals had to be unemployed for 27 consecutive weeks, have a high school degree or GED, and have an interest in seeking employment from one of the three targeted industries of the program.
Features of the Study
The study authors conducted an implementation evaluation of the FLH program and collected data through site visits and three rounds of in-person interviews with grantee program administrators, line staff, and organizational partners between 2016 and 2018. Additionally, to examine participation patterns, the study analyzed program administrative data. The study primarily intended to examine how the program evolved over the four-year grant period and analyze participation patterns. Study authors did not provide specific details regarding the qualitative and administrative data methods of analysis.
Findings
Intervention Activities/Services
- The study found that most participants (95%) only engaged in a one-week employment readiness workshop, while 27% of participants attended occupational training and 6% participated in work-based training.
- Individualized support from Education and Employment Specialists (EES) was crucial for aiding participants in developing job search strategies and monitoring their progress. According to the program staff, the relationships with EES were instrumental in motivating long-term unemployed individuals who might feel discouraged and lack self-confidence during their job search.
Implementation Challenges and Solutions
- The study found that FLH's service delivery within existing Career Centers allowed for easier participant referrals and stronger connections with employers, thanks to the Career Center staff's familiarity with FLH.
- On average, participants had lower education levels and less work experience than anticipated. This resulted in a higher demand for tuition assistance and other support for occupational training than the program could fund. Consequently, FLH had to cease enrolling participants interested in occupational training.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
While the implementation evaluation of the FLH program mainly relied on site visits and interviews with program staff, the study authors did not provide details of how they analyzed the data or ensured the quality of the site visits and interviews.