Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant Program - Building Career Pathways Programs and Systems: Insights from TAACCCT Round 4 Topic Brief

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Release Date: September 01, 2020

Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant Program - Building Career Pathways Programs and Systems: Insights from TAACCCT Round 4 Topic Brief

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Employment and Training ,  Community College

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About the Brief

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The brief describes evidence-to-date on career pathways generally, the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) grantmaking approach, and the extent to which grant-funded colleges implemented key elements of career pathways (defined for purposes of this brief as those in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)). It also examines additional ways colleges used the grants to build career pathways systems. Data for the brief comes chiefly from four surveys of Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) colleges, one conducted for each round of grants, and from third party evaluations of grantee programs. The brief assesses implementation of grant-funded career pathways strategies through indices based on the elements of WIOA’s career pathways definition.

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Key Takeaways

  • Round 4 of TAACCCT required colleges to implement career pathways strategies, though previous rounds had encouraged it.
  • Most colleges across all grant rounds implemented career pathways broadly; Round 4 colleges carried out more strategies to align services with industry skill needs than did colleges in earlier rounds.
  • Round 4 colleges developed or expanded more internal and external pathways partnerships than colleges in earlier rounds; they especially obtained more employer/industry support and community support for career pathways.
  • A substantially higher share of Round 4 colleges adopted multiple non-TAACCCT funding strategies for career pathways than did colleges in earlier rounds.
  • Round 4 colleges also secured more comprehensive partner support and funding for career pathways systems.
  • Colleges in states with past career pathways or sector partnership experience may have found it easier to expand career pathways systems.

Citation

Strawn, J., Smith, A., Gardiner, K. (2020). Abt Associates. Building Career Pathways and Systems: Insights from TAACCCT Round 4. 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.