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Workforce Development

Workforce Development
commentary
How Work-Based Learning Can Bring Employers and Students Together
Monica Mean, Gabriella C. Gonzalez @GabCGonzalez
Jul 24, 2019
The RAND Blog
Work-based learning experiences help college grads better prepare for work. WBL programs often serve as a workforce pipeline for companies. WBL is also successful at the K–12 level and at "upskilling" adult workers. There are several ways Congress could foster and strengthen WBL.
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Workforce Development
commentary
How Community Colleges Can Establish Better Partnerships with Employers
Rita Karam
Jun 6, 2019
The RAND Blog
Career and technical education programs give students a chance to engage in learning relevant to their chosen fields and apply immediately for jobs. A strategic vision of collaboration between industry and community colleges can benefit all parties.
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Workforce Development
commentary
The Case for Investing in a More Healthy and Engaged Health Workforce
Christian Van Stolk, Marco Hafner @econ_hafner
Nov 8, 2018
The RAND Blog
Improving staff engagement leads to a variety of positive benefits. But defining and measuring engagement is not straightforward, and different demographic factors are associated with different levels of engagement. The National Health Service in England is looking at ways to increase engagement in its staff.
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Occupational Training
essay
Appalachia Partnership Helps Both Workers and Employers in a Changing Market
Aug 30, 2018
An innovative program in Appalachia is realigning the skills of the workforce with the needs of employers, getting people back on the job and providing a 21st-century model of workforce development.
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Workforce Development
commentary
Keeping Americans on the Job in a Changing Economy
Gabriella C. Gonzalez @GabCGonzalez, Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Oct 20, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Despite calls to bring back U.S. coal mines and factories, the real issue isn't a lack of family-sustaining jobs, it's a mismatch between workers and available jobs.
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Workforce Development
essay
What Happens When RAND Rethinks Its Workspace
Sep 5, 2017
In an economy that increasingly values ideas over tasks, companies are breaking down office walls, scrapping the idea of a nine-to-five, and doing away with cubicles. A RAND project shows how a modern workspace can be conducive to both collaboration and individual work.
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Occupational Health and Safety
commentary
Many Americans Face Bullying, Harassment, and Abuse at Work, but Bosses Can Help
Kathleen J. Mullen @KathleenJMullen, Jeffrey B. Wenger
Aug 30, 2017
The RAND Blog
Workers are experiencing high levels of hostile behaviors at work. Nearly one in five American workers have been subjected to some form of verbal abuse, unwanted sexual attention, threats, or humiliating behavior at work, with younger non-college educated workers bearing the most risk.
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Autonomous Vehicles
commentary
What Autonomous Vehicles Could Mean for American Workers
Nidhi Kalra
Aug 29, 2017
The RAND Blog
Autonomous vehicles are projected to hit American roads within the next few years. They promise safer transportation, greater mobility for millions of Americans, and other benefits. But they will also have enormous impacts on the workforce.
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Charter Schools
commentary
Making American Education Great Will Require More Than Charter Schools
V. Darleen Opfer @VDarleenOpfer
Dec 13, 2016
Dallas Morning News
The nomination of Betsy DeVos for U.S. Secretary of Education has shone a spotlight on charter schools. While charters could become an important part of a great education system, this burst of attention poses a risk that other issues will be ignored.
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Technical Professions
commentary
Back to Work: Middle-Skill Jobs in the STEM Economy
Gabriella C. Gonzalez @GabCGonzalez, Robert Bozick
Aug 24, 2016
The RAND Blog
The STEM economy will grow by 17 percent through 2018, with expected job vacancies totaling 2.4 million. Middle-skill STEM jobs—such as computer support specialists, web developers, and engineering technicians—are in the highest demand.
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Employment and Unemployment
commentary
Labor Day Blog Series: American Worker
Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_, Robert Bozick, Joy S. Moini
Aug 22, 2016
The RAND Blog
To celebrate Labor Day, the American Worker series of commentaries offers research, reflections, and policy insights on a variety of topics that affect American workers.
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Employment and Unemployment
commentary
Young Workers Without College Degrees Face Uncomfortable Truths
Diana Gehlhaus Carew
Jun 23, 2016
The Hill
Young Americans without a college education suffer from high unemployment, low earnings, and delayed adulthood with a limited ability to buy a home. To help them, policymakers need to remind themselves that workforce training and labor policy must focus on the technology-driven jobs of tomorrow.
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