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The brief draws on data collected from virtual site visits with 18 of the 23 America’s Promise Job Driven Training (America’s Promise) grant programs as part of a comprehensive implementation study to explore the development of and services provided by regional grant partnerships involving workforce development agencies, institutions of higher education, economic development agencies, employers, and community based organizations. It highlights creative approaches and challenges to adjusting service delivery in the changing context of the pandemic as well as 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. Virtual site visits occurred from August to November 2020 and involved interviews conducted over video with grant and partner managers, employers, and frontline staff, and focus groups with America’s Promise program participants. Each visit included, on average, 12 interviews.

Key Takeaways

• Virtual outreach, intake, and case management required new approaches, technologies, and flexibility. Partnerships shifted to using online meeting platforms or recorded videos to describe services and eligibility to potential applicants. While virtual case management allowed for greater flexibility, it also introduced challenges with the changes in process and approach required by virtual service.
• Success in virtual job placement and career fairs required investment of staff time and technology. Four partnerships adopted virtual job placements services, while six held virtual job fairs. These changes were not always smooth and required additional staff time to execute.
• New barriers to training participation and completion emerged despite the creative use of resources and referral networks. The reported barriers included participants’ lack of access to reliable internet connection or technology, their concerns about childcare, and their concerns about contracting COVID-19, particularly as they felt increasing pressure to enter employment to alleviate financial pressures.
• In the advanced manufacturing sector, hands-on trainings offered by grantees were halted, discontinued, or shifted to hybrid or in-person learning with strict capacity and distancing rules.
• In the healthcare sector, the pandemic amplified existing shortages of health care workers. At the same time, grantee target areas saw healthcare furloughs and layoffs as demand for preventative, routine, and elective care fell.
• In the IT sector, grantees reported a smooth transition to virtual learning with few disruptions to the industry in target areas. However, an increased pool of qualified applicants posed challenges for job placement of the grantees’ participants.

Citation

Bellotti, J., English, B., Harrington, A. (2021). Mathematica. Adapting Sector Training Strategies During the COVID 19 Pandemic: Lessons from America's Promise Partnerships. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) sponsors independent evaluations and research, primarily conducted by external, third-party contractors in accordance with the Department of Labor Evaluation Policy and CEO’s research development process.