The Aspen Institute has investigated sectoral employment development from a variety of perspectives. Research has included: a three-year longitudinal survey of program participants; in-depth focus groups and individual interviews of program participants; case study research; a survey of 32 Workforce Investment Boards; interviews with more than 50 leaders of workforce initiatives, all of whom use a sectoral approach for at least some of their organizations’ initiatives; a survey of over 200 sectoral initiatives regarding the use of systems change strategies; and work with programs and employers in the health care and manufacturing sectors to assess how they estimate the benefits that programs provide to employers.

Some of the key findings from this research include:

• Industry-specific workforce programs have helped workers advance in the labor market. For example, median personal earnings of program participants rose from $8,580 at baseline to $14,040 in the year following training, to $17,732 in the second year after training, due to an average 31 percent increase in wage rates as well as increases in hours worked.1 (Source: SEDLP Research Report No. 2: Closing the Gap)
  
  
• Of 32 Workforce Investment Boards surveyed, 21 stated that the industry-specific approach helped them improve relationships with employers. (Source: Evaluation of the Sectoral Employment Demonstration Program)
  
  
• Four years after training, participants identified particular skills and opportunities developed through the training program and described how these skills and connections have continued to help their careers. (Source: Skills to Live By: Participant Reflections on the Value of their Sectoral Training Experience)
  
  
• Of 26 participants interviewed four years after training, virtually all interviewees described the important link between education and advancement. They often stated that they have renewed support for their children's educational achievement, in addition to striving to continue their own education. (Source: Skills to Live By: Participant Reflections on the Value of their Sectoral Training Experience)

• In addition to skills training, sector initiatives provide supports to participants to assist them with a wide variety of other barriers to succeeding in training and on the job. Many employ case managers to coordinate public and private resources such as transportation assistance, child care, and emergency financial assistance, among other resources. Programs provide counseling and encourage participants to form peer support networks or actively manage and provide staff support for these types of networks. Of 227 sector programs responding to a WSI survey, 86 percent reported that case management or social services are provided to their participants by their own organization or through a partner organization. (Source: WSI 2006 electronic survey)
  
  
• Businesses report benefiting from sectoral employment development in a variety of ways, including improved retention and productivity, greater workforce diversity and improved soft skills among workers. For example, Barber Foods in Portland, Maine has found that employees who actively participate in the educational program conducted in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine have longer retention, earn higher performance review scores, and save the company money because of their better retention experiences. A growing number of programs are using WSI’s Business Value Assessment Toolkit to begin to define and assess outcomes that accrue to the businesses they work with more systematically. (Source: Update Issue 3: How Does Business Benefit from Sectoral Workforce Development Services?)
  
  
• 93 percent of 227 sector programs responding to a WSI survey said systems change activities are a priority; and 72 percent felt they were well enough positioned in the industry to implement some of these activities. As many as two-thirds or even three-quarters of the respondents said they used at least one systems change strategy and, for 23 of the 31 activities or strategies mentioned, more than 50 percent of respondents said that they or a partner organization conducts the activity to better accomplish their work in the industry. (Source: WSI 2006 electronic survey)
  
  
• The National Network of Sector Partners estimates that there were more than 200 sector initiatives in operation as of 2003, and that the field is growing. Projects have been documented in 23 industry sectors in 41 states. (Source: "Sector Snapshot: A profile of sector practitioners in 2003," published by the National Network of Sector Partners)

1. Zero earners are excluded from this calculation.