An Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers (AJC): AJC Service Delivery in Rural Areas Brief
Related Tags
Topic
Research Methods
Study Population
U.S. Regions
U.S. States
Country
About the Brief
The brief discusses key features and experiences of 12 America Job Centers (AJCs) in the America Job Centers Institutional Analysis study that were located in rural areas. It focuses on AJCs as the unit of service delivery, which is a narrower focus than prior studies of the rural workforce system as a whole. Therefore, the findings offer insight into frontline service delivery and system-wide planning in addition to an update on the persistence of previously-identified challenges in rural service delivery. Previous studies of workforce system operations in rural areas occurred more than 10 years ago, during the early years of implementation of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA).
Key Takeaways
- Rural areas' large workforce regions generally mean that job seekers travel long distances to access services and jobs (with limited public transit options) and that AJC partners programs, employers, and training providers, are not in close proximity to one another. The Internet, which could help improve access to services, is not consistently available at broadband speeds required for distance learning and other online service delivery options.
- Rural AJCs continue to operate with less funding and, therefore, fewer staff than their metropolitan counterparts due to both (1) receiving smaller allocations determined by population-based funding formulas for key workforce programs and (2) steady and consistent reductions in state formula grants.
- Due to the opioid epidemic and other social and cultural shifts, rural AJCs reported serving more customers with barriers to employment, but must do so with fewer staff and less access to specialized training and funding than non-rural AJCs.
Citation
Betesh, H. (2018). Social Policy Research. An Institutional Analysis of American Job Centers (AJC): AJC Service Delivery in Rural Areas. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.
This study was sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development and Research, Division of Research and Evaluation, and was produced outside of CEO’s standard research development process.