The America's Promise Job Driven Training grants support creating and expanding regional workforce partnerships-including workforce development agencies, institutions of higher education, economic development agencies, employers, and community-based organizations-aimed at preparing workers for careers in middle- to high-skilled industries and occupations. The COVID-19 pandemic required these organizations to adjust their operations and service delivery to meet employers’ needs while ensuring the health and safety of their communities and workforces. As part of a comprehensive implementation study to explore the development of and services provided by regional grant partnerships, this brief examines creative approaches and challenges to adjusting service delivery in the changing context of the pandemic. Additionally, the brief explores adaptations used to meet the needs of the sectors most commonly targeted by the America’s Promise grants - the advanced manufacturing, health care, and information technology (IT) industries.

The brief draws on data collected from virtual site visits with 18 of 23 grant programs. The site visits were conducted between August and November of 2020 and involved focus groups with America's Promise program participants and interviews conducted over video with grant and partner managers, employers, and frontline staff.

The brief includes the following broad findings:

• Virtual outreach, intake, and case management required new approaches, technologies, and flexibility.
• Success in virtual job placement and career fairs required investment of staff time and technology.
• New barriers to training participation and completion emerged despite the creative use of resources and referral networks.

The brief also reports findings that are specific to the four industries commonly targeted by America's Promise grants.