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Occupational Training

  • Adult students attending a computer course

    Commentary

    Community Colleges Can Be 'First Responders' in Retraining Displaced Workers

    Many of the occupations with the most opportunities require two-year degrees or certificates. Community colleges play a key role in training students for these jobs and offer a supportive environment for displaced and dissatisfied workers.

    Feb 16, 2017

  • Technician working in a control room

    Commentary

    Carrier Deal Does Not Carry the Day for American Workers

    Despite the good intentions, pressuring companies like Carrier to keep jobs in the U.S. addresses only the smaller part of the problem, globalization, not the larger one, technological change. A long term solution would be to upgrade the education and training system so that students graduate with skills for life-long learning.

    Dec 21, 2016

  • The blast furnaces at the now-closed Bethlehem Steel mill remain standing in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, April 22, 2016

    Commentary

    America's Shifting Labor Market in a Technology-Driven World

    Making America competitive in a transitioning market will require examining future labor market requirements. Workforce development programs that target building labor capacity for a new economy will be essential.

    Nov 25, 2016

  • Workers working in a factory

    Commentary

    Back to Work: Middle-Skill Jobs in the STEM Economy

    The STEM economy will grow by 17 percent through 2018, with expected job vacancies totaling 2.4 million. Middle-skill STEM jobs that require associate's degrees or occupational certifications—such as computer support specialists, web developers, and engineering technicians—are in the highest demand.

    Aug 24, 2016

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Employment Gaps Between Military Spouses and Matched Civilians

    Drawing upon data from the Deployment Life Study, this article examines whether female military spouses (SPs) are disadvantaged relative to matched civilian peers in terms of hours worked and earnings, paying particular attention to gaps among the highest educated women.

    Jul 26, 2016

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Workplace Skills in Practice: Case Studies of Technical Work

    The study used a sociocultural approach to examine skills and work-related dispositions (tendencies to use one's capabilities on the job) in four diverse industries.

    Jun 28, 2016

  • Young people waiting for a job interview

    Commentary

    Young Workers Without College Degrees Face Uncomfortable Truths

    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.

    Jun 23, 2016

  • Group of friends holding their smart phones

    Commentary

    How You Can Be Cybersecurity's Strongest Asset

    Technology is thoroughly embedded within the average person's life but security is not emphasized to the general user. Teaching the importance of security early on and continually bringing awareness to the public could help temper technology-based attacks.

    Feb 18, 2016

  • Workers prepare to change drilling pipes on the rotary table of a natural gas rig near Towanda, Pennsylvania, February 3, 2010

    Research Brief

    Aligning Education and Training to Meet Energy Workforce Needs

    Energy-sector employers in West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania report having difficulty filling semiskilled jobs. And the sector's technology is changing quickly. How can the region's leaders improve the workforce-development pipeline?

    Aug 31, 2015

  • Pipeline construction

    Report

    Energy-Sector Workforce Development in West Virginia

    The production of natural gas and gas liquids from shale in West Virginia has increased demand for workers. Ten action items can help the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia and other stakeholders support a well-aligned and coherent workforce-development pipeline.

    Aug 31, 2015

  • Working welder

    Report

    Energy-Sector Workforce Development in Southwestern Pennsylvania

    Technological innovations in the energy sector have increased demand for semiskilled labor in southwestern Pennsylvania. How can postsecondary educational and training programs adapt to the evolving skills demand?

    Aug 31, 2015

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Assessing the Impact of Academic-Practice Partnerships on Nursing Staff

    In this paper, we examine the experiences of the VA staff nurses who worked on the units used for VA Nursing Academy (VANA) clinical training.

    Jul 1, 2015

  • Women network with representatives from Lockheed Martin at the Military Spouse Career Forum and Fair, April 2014

    Report

    Advancing the Careers of Military Spouses

    Military spouses face challenges related to military life that can make it difficult for them to maintain and develop careers. The My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) scholarship is one program designed to help them, but only one in five eligible spouses reported using it.

    Jan 21, 2015

  • Report

    Report

    The DNP by 2015: A Study of the Institutional, Political, and Professional Issues that Facilitate or Impede Establishing a Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

    In 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing voted that all master's programs for advanced-practice registered nurses transition to doctorate programs by 2015. RAND studied current programs and barriers to adoption of doctorate programs.

    Jan 9, 2015

  • Two Indian college students outdoors

    Commentary

    Building a Sound Technical and Vocational Education and Training System

    Technical and vocational education and training in India has expanded significantly over the past two decades. But quality and relevance remain significant issues. What may be learned from other countries' experiences?

    Dec 31, 2014

  • Report

    Report

    Enhancing Performance Under Stress: Stress Inoculation Training for Battlefield Airmen

    USAF pararescue and combat controllers routinely recover downed or injured military personnel and direct military aircraft in hostile or denied regions. Consequently, to be effective in these careers requires the ability to cope with severe stress.

    Jul 23, 2014

  • smiling woman at work

    Project

    RAND New Leaders Evaluation

    The RAND New Leaders Evaluation examines implementation of the New Leaders principal preparation program from 2006 through 2013. The New Leaders approach involves rigorous recruitment and preparation of principals, ongoing support and community networks, and the commitment of partners to promote effective school and district conditions.

    May 13, 2014

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Attractiveness of Initial Vocational Education and Training: Identifying What Matters

    The aim of the study is to improve the evidence base for policy decisions and actions at national and EU level to increase the attractiveness of IVET in Europe.

    Jan 1, 2014

  • Report

    Labor Force Reentry: Issues for Injured Service Members and Veterans

    As large numbers of service members and veterans, many with serious injuries, return from Iraq and Afghanistan, an examination of existing return-to-work policies and programs for military men and women with service-related health problems finds that what programs do exist are poorly coordinated, and can be difficult to navigate.

    Nov 8, 2012

  • Adult education classroom

    Project

    Encouraging Workforce Development in the Gulf States

    As Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama seek to expand their economies, employers will require highly literate workers with advanced technical skills. RAND has conducted extensive research on K-12, college, and vocational education in the United States and overseas, as well as the role of education in workforce development.

    Nov 1, 2012