Occupational Training

  • A woman wearing a graduation cap and gown entering a maze, photo by YinYang/Getty Images

    Essay

    Education and Employment Should Be One System, Not Two

    Too many American workers aren't getting the education and training they need to compete in the 21st century. We need to revamp the entire system of educating and employing people. And that system needs to ensure equitable access to opportunities and lifelong learning.

    Jan 7, 2020

  • Report

    Report

    Effectiveness of Screened, Demand-Driven Job Training Programs for Disadvantaged Workers: An Evaluation of the New Orleans Career Pathway Training

    The authors of this report examine the implementation and effectiveness of a New Orleans job training program that helped lower-skilled, unemployed, and underemployed individuals train for and find skilled jobs in particular industries.

    Oct 17, 2019

  • Portrait of young engineer woman working in factory building, photo by serts/Getty Images

    Research Brief

    What Works for Job Training Programs for Disadvantaged Workers

    Can workforce development programs resolve the mismatch between the talent available and the skills in demand? An evaluation of the New Orleans Career Pathways program offers insights that should be helpful to anyone striving to create or improve such programs.

    Oct 17, 2019

  • Hospital worker feeling overwhelmed, photo by Dean Mitchell/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Is Training for NHS Staff to Manage Workplace Violence Effective?

    Going to work should not mean being subjected to physical or verbal assault, but this is the reality faced by thousands of frontline NHS staff. De-escalation training may help staff manage patient violence and aggression, but there is not enough research about what works in specific healthcare contexts.

    Sep 4, 2019

  • Syrian refugee metal shop trainees work at one of the vocational training centres near Al Azraq city, Jordan, June 27, 2016

    Commentary

    Jobs Can Improve the Lives of Syrian Refugees and Their Host Communities

    Host governments, international development agencies, and donor countries like the United States could take several steps to improve Syrian refugee employment. This would increase self-reliance among Syrian refugees and ease pressures on host communities.

    Mar 11, 2019

  • Blog

    Syrian Workers, Iranian Spies, Jihadi Brides: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on jobs for Syrian refugees, Iran's efforts to spy on the United States, the complicated cases of jihadi brides, and more.

    Feb 22, 2019

  • Um Akram, a Syrian refugee, creates soap under Jasmine, a project which hires and trains Syrian refugee women to create handicrafts, in Amman, Jordan, July 11, 2016

    Commentary

    As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working

    Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan want opportunities to work. But there are multiple barriers and challenges that limit them. Improving the chances of safe and dignified work opportunities for Syrian women in these countries could yield broad positive social benefits for both the refugee and host communities.

    Feb 19, 2019

  • Workers in a textile factory in Turkey

    Commentary

    Syrian Skills: A Missed Opportunity

    Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon are finding ways to get by. But many refugees are not able to fully use their skills, and that is a lost opportunity both for the Syrians and the host countries.

    Feb 14, 2019

  • News Release

    News Release

    Syrian Refugees in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon Can Add Value to Local Economies

    Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon could better contribute to local economies if they were trained for middle-skill jobs and were able to relocate to areas with manufacturing firms that need trained workers.

    Dec 13, 2018

  • Workers in a textile factory in Igdir, Turkey, May 20, 2017

    Research Brief

    Win-Win Solutions for Syrian Refugees—and Their Hosts

    Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan have generously received the majority of Syrian refugees. Many are working, but their sheer numbers have strained local labor markets, public services, and social harmony. Which policies might help create new economic opportunities for both the refugees and host-nation workers?

    Dec 13, 2018

  • Two workers in a factory in Jordan, October 2018

    Report

    Syrian Refugees Can Add Value to Middle Eastern Labor Markets

    Over 5 million Syrian refugees entered Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan due to the civil war. This has placed a severe strain on the host countries' labor markets, public services, and social cohesion. The future prosperity and stability of the region rests on creating mutually beneficial economic opportunities for Syrian refugees and host-country workers.

    Dec 13, 2018

  • A woman graduating

    Research Brief

    Scholarships Improve Work Prospects for Military Spouses

    MyCAA Scholarships are reaching the intended population—military spouses who want or need work, who are early in their careers, and who face military moves and deployments. Findings regarding work and earnings are promising, and personnel married to MyCAA users are more likely to still be on active duty three years after the scholarship is awarded.

    Nov 29, 2018

  • A woman holding a diploma

    Report

    Scholarships Associated with Employment and Higher Earnings for Military Spouses

    MyCAA Scholarships aim to help military spouses obtain associate's degrees, occupational certificates, or licenses in high-demand portable career fields. They are associated with employment and higher earnings, and service members married to MyCAA users are more likely to be on active duty three years later.

    Nov 29, 2018

  • Report

    Report

    Career Paths in the Army Civilian Workforce: Identifying Common Patterns Based on Statistical Clustering

    This report examines what the career of a "typical" Army civilian looks like. It identifies seven common career patterns among individuals who entered the Army civilian workforce between 1981 and 2000 as General Schedule employees.

    Oct 31, 2018

  • A composite picture of the Shell Oil cracker plant along the Ohio River at the site of a former zinc smelting company about 20 miles from downtown Pittsburgh, July 2, 2018

    Essay

    Appalachia Partnership Helps Both Workers and Employers in a Changing Market

    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.

    Aug 30, 2018

  • An engineer working on an oil field

    Report

    Employers and Colleges Could Plan Better for Future Oil and Natural Gas Workforce

    Advances in natural gas extraction should bring long-term economic benefits to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. A survey of employers and educators can inform policy decisions on how best to expand and sustain the pool of skilled workers.

    Oct 16, 2017

  • 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

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