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
Economic context
November 22, 2022
How Can the Forces of Change Be Harnessed to Create an Inclusive and Equitable Labor Market?
Greater public and private investment in job training, policies to support unionization, and efforts to close digital divides are core strategies for transforming risks from climate change and automation into opportunity, noted experts at the WorkRise October conference.
Skills and training
April 08, 2022
How Randomized Evaluations Build Evidence to Inform Workforce Program Design, Policy, and Investment
Four takeaways from J-PAL North America and WorkRise joint panel on the power of randomized controlled trials in generating evidence to inform and guide decisionmaking and investment in workforce training.
Job search and matching
April 08, 2022
How “Netflix for Jobs” Is Unlocking Economic Mobility: A Q&A with Scott Jensen
Chief executive officer and vice president of external affairs for Research Improving People's Lives shares insights on how data, science, and technology can identify promising employment and training opportunities for jobseekers looking to earn more or gain new skills.
Employer practices
January 25, 2022
New and Noteworthy: Research on predictable scheduling laws, postsecondary decisionmaking among youth, and more
New and Noteworthy highlights new research and data to inform policies, practices, and programs designed to strengthen workers’ economic security and pathways for mobility in the US labor market.
Research
Supportive services
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.
Supportive services
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.