Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the implementation of the Youth CareerConnect which provides career-focused learning opportunities to high school students.
- The study authors conducted an implementation evaluation using two rounds of a grantee survey, site visits and interviews, and a participant tracking system.
- The study found that implementing schools increased offerings for all aspects of the Youth CareerConnect, increased partnerships with employers, and completed sustainability plans for several critical Youth CareerConnect services.
- The implementation survey was only conducted at one high school per grantee and interviews were only conducted at 10 out of 24 grantees.
- The companion impact study was reviewed by CLEAR in June 2024 and can be found here: Building college and career pathways for high school students: Youth Career Connect impact findings report (Maxwell et al., 2019).
Intervention Examined
Youth CareerConnect (YCC)
Features of the Intervention
- Type of Organization: High schools
- Location/setting: Multi-site
- Population served and scale: High school students; 27,188 students
- Industry Focus: Health care and social assistance; Professional, scientific, and technical services; Information; Manufacturing; Management of companies and enterprises; Other services
- Intervention Activities: Mentorship; Internships; Academic counseling
- Organizational Partnerships: Employers, workforce agencies; Supportive services organizations; Institutions of higher education
- Cost: Not included
- Fidelity: Not included
In April 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $100,000,000 to 24 grantees to implement the Youth CareerConnect (YCC) program. YCC grants were awarded to 16 school districts, 5 non-profit organizations, 2 workforce agencies, and 1 college across 18 states and Puerto Rico. These grantees were responsible for bringing together employers, schools, community organizations, workforce development boards, and supportive services to provide at least two years of career-focused training for high school students.
The YCC program was designed to prepare high school students for post-high school careers or for college through academic and career-focused education. The evidence-based primary features of YCC were an integrated career-focused curriculum, connections to work-based learning opportunities in career fields of interest, receipt of academic support services, delivery of non-academic support services, membership in a learning community (cohort of students and teachers that worked together across program years), engagement and referrals with a variety of community partners and employers, and other professional development opportunities (e.g., mentoring). The planning for the grant program started in April 2014. Enrollment took place in Fall 2014 and continued until September 2018. The program activities ended in Spring 2019.
Features of the Study
Findings
Intervention Activities/Services
- In 2018, all schools surveyed offered courses leading to industry credentials and nearly all offered preparation for certification exams. While a smaller number of schools offered skills badges and stackable credentials, the number of schools offering these options increased from the previous implementation report.
- The study found that 83% of schools offered occupational skills learning, a 12% increase since 2015-16.
- Integrated post-secondary services, such as college visits, dual enrollment courses, and financial aid assistance, increased over time. Between 92% and 100% of the schools surveyed offered these services, reflecting an increase ranging from 19% to 58%.
- Work readiness activities also increased during this period, with internships of any kind being offered at 83% of schools, work site visits being offered at 100% of schools, and job shadowing and mock interviews being offered at 79% and 88% of schools, respectively.
- Apprenticeship offerings at implementing schools increased from 5% to 17% between the two rounds of surveys.
- The study reported that over 95% of the surveyed schools helped with identifying work-based learning opportunities, preparing resumes, applying to post-secondary programs, or finding ways to fund post-secondary education. The availability of these services increased by approximately 30% since the previous surveys.
- According to PTS data, the percentage of students in any grade enrolled in industry-specific courses increased by approximately 7% between Spring 2016 and Spring 2018, with grade 10 students experiencing the most significant growth.
- The study found that mentoring increased by 4%, internships by 3%, and other work-based experiences by 3%.
- The study also found a 10% rise in students receiving other supportive services, especially in grade 12, but a slight drop in those receiving academic counseling.
- However, the percentage of students receiving employer provided services remained about the same over time.
Implementation Challenges and Solutions
- The main challenge identified by the study was the expiration of grant funding in Spring 2019, which impacted the retention of key staff positions dedicated to program implementation and were funded by the grant.
- The study found that 50% of schools had finished their plan to sustain a program advisory board, 42% had completed their plan to sustain student access to industry career tracks, and 42% had finished their plan to maintain work-based learning offerings.
- A few schools completed plans to sustain employer engagement, career counseling, maintain key staff positions, and pursue additional funding (17% or less). However, over half of the schools reported that they had started working on plans for sustaining program activities in each of these areas.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The study was well designed and well executed. The main limitation was that the study authors visited a few sites and conducted targeted interviews with a subset of schools. Also, surveys were focused on YCC implementation at just one high school for each grantee.