Research & Resources

Sectoral employment initiatives have a broad set of objectives and strategies. Over time, our research to learn about them has included longitudinal studies to document outcomes of program participants, site-based research to identify core elements of sector practice, examine models of collaboration, understand the necessary leadership competencies demanded by the field and provide related training opportunities, and developing new methods for assessing outcomes that accrue to business customers of workforce services. The categories below represent the range of topics we have explored through our research. Within each category you will find a mix of research results, case studies, program descriptions, videos, webinars, and tools.

Costs & Funding

What types of costs do sector initiatives incur? How do initiatives fund their work? What does it cost to support a student in training? In AspenWSI’s work with...

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Industry Specific

What does a sector initiative in a specific industry such as construction, health care or manufacturing look like? How do initiative leaders relate to and work within...

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Low-Wage Work

Who are low-wage workers?  What industries do they work in?  What are strategies for improving job quality for these workers? In 2012, AspenWSI launched a...

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Sector & Community Colleges

What role can partnership between community colleges and nonprofits play in sector initiatives? How can low-income adults be better supported to succeed in community...

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Sector & Policy

What are the implications of sector work vis a vis government policy and funding? State, federal and local policies are important drivers of sector initiatives. ...

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Sector Approach

What is a sector approach to workforce development? What strategies do sector initiatives use? What does a sector initiative look like? AspenWSI has investigated...

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Systems Change

How do sector initiatives help address structural issues in industry practices, education and training infrastructure and public policy that affect individuals’...

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Value to Business

In what ways does job training benefit employers? How can programs identify and measure the value they bring to their business customers? How can programs deepen their...

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Worker Outcomes

What education, employment, and earnings outcomes do workers served by sector initiatives achieve? AspenWSI has conducted a variety of research documenting the...

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