Overview
Human capital development—or people’s ability to acquire skills and knowledge through education and training—advances workers’ economic opportunity and strengthens employers and the economy. Yet the complex landscape of skills and training is fragmented across institutions of higher education, public and private providers, and other credentialing programs. More importantly, human capital development alone does not lead to greater economic mobility, as many workers continue to face barriers to reaching their full potential in the labor market.
Working Knowledge
Skills and training, Energy transition
Last updated on March 31, 2025
Research Summary
What High-Quality Local Jobs Are Available as Fossil Fuel Work Disappears?
As carbon-intensive jobs disappear, workers in these roles need high-quality jobs to sustain their livelihoods. This study identifies alternative jobs and associated skills that fossil fuel workers will need to transition into new employment within communities dependent on the industry.
Skills and training, Support during upskilling
Last updated on February 18, 2025
Research Summary
Incumbent Worker Training Programs Could Bolster the Workforce
Companies increased revenue, grew their workforces, and built training pathways through a state-based incumbent worker training program, researchers found.
Skills and training, Support during upskilling
Last updated on January 21, 2025
Video
WorkRise Shorts: Cash for Coloradans and Evidence for Equitable Upskilling with Roger Low
Can no-interest loans improve completion rates in workforce training programs among low-income, near-poverty, and poverty-challenged workers?
Last updated on January 21, 2025
Research
Skills and training, Young workers
Brief
Last updated on July 07, 2025
Apprenticeship and College: Complementary Approaches to Youth Education and Training
Apprenticeship training and college are often considered substitutes for each other, when they in fact work best as complements. This research and practice summary analyzes administrative apprenticeship data to better understand how colleges have engaged with the apprenticeship system, and the experiences of apprentices in college-sponsored apprenticeship programs.
WorkRise Research
Skills and training, Young workers, Support during upskilling
Report
Last updated on August 27, 2024
Supporting Youth Economic Mobility through Employment-Focused Strategies
WorkRise’s new landscape research report on youth economic mobility reviews the evidence of programs and practices that help young workers succeed and advance in the labor market.
WorkRise Research
Skills and training, Support during upskilling
Executive Summary
November 15, 2023
The Workforce Almanac: A System-Level View of US Workforce Training Providers
The Workforce Almanac, a first-of-its-kind effort to understand workforce training at a systemwide level is a an open-source directory of nearly 17,000 workforce training providers across the United States. This database offers the most comprehensive view to date of US workforce training providers and includes information such as provider names, locations, and types.
Grantee Research
Skills and training, Support during upskilling
Executive Summary
April 03, 2023
Navigating Public Job Training
Right now, more than 75,000 Eligible Training Provider (ETP) job programs are eligible for funding under America’s primary federal workforce development law, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). How well do these public investments prepare workers for high-quality jobs? In this analysis, authors combine training provider and program data from the US Department of Labor with performance records and occupational data to study the types of providers receiving WIOA funding and the kinds of jobs for which they offer training. The report also reviews websites for all 50 states to understand how easily potential job trainees can access information on these programs.
Grantee Research
Social determinants of work
Report
March 15, 2022
Implications of Providing Child Care Assistance to Parents In Education and Training
New WorkRise research uses microsimulation to model a hypothetical policy scenario where more parents in education and training were eligible for and received public child care subsidies.
Grantee Research
Social determinants of work
March 15, 2022
Expanding Child Care Subsidies to Parents in Education and Training
A fact sheet summarizes findings from a new WorkRise report that models a hypothetical policy scenario where more parents in education and training were eligible for and received public child care subsidies.
Grantee Research