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Vocational Education

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Also known as career or technical education, vocational education refers to formal training and instruction for technical, paraprofessional, skilled, or semiskilled occupations, usually without requiring or providing a bachelor’s degree. RAND researchers have examined the relationship between vocational education and effective workforce planning and development, state policies influencing vocational education, vocational education quality, and more.

Report

Bridge to Opportunities: Connecting Probationers to High-Wage Jobs

May 25, 2018

Probation agencies face significant challenges to helping their clients find jobs, and earn living wages. One program focused on the construction industry aimed to improve the earning potential of individuals on probation in Sacramento County, California.
Research Brief

Educators and Employers Could Align Efforts to Fill STEM Jobs

Feb 7, 2019

Middle-skills STEM workers are in high demand in the oil and natural gas industry, but they need the proper training and credentials. Better collaboration between employers and colleges could bridge the gap between the skills and knowledge employers seek and what instructors emphasize.

Explore Vocational Education

Report

Report

Stacking Educational Credentials in Ohio: Pathways Through Postsecondary Education in Health Care, Manufacturing and Engineering Technology, and Information Technology

RAND researchers examine students who earned postsecondary certificates in Ohio and went on to earn additional educational credentials. The researchers describe which types of credentials were earned and how students progressed through institutions.

May 11, 2020
Report

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Program Progress in 2017–2018

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program is a residential, quasi-military program for youth ages 16 to 18 who are experiencing difficulty in traditional high school. An ongoing program analysis seeks to understand how the achievements of ChalleNGe graduates compare to similar youth who do not participate in the program.

Oct 15, 2019
Commentary

How Work-Based Learning Can Bring Employers and Students Together

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.

Jul 24, 2019
Report

Raising the Bar for Graduation Pathways to College and Work: Early Signals on How Louisiana's Education Policy Strategies Are Affecting College and Career Readiness

This report, part of a four-part series on implementation and outcomes of Louisiana's education initiatives, focuses on Louisiana's high school graduation pathways, which aim to improve college readiness, career readiness, and financial aid access.

Jun 11, 2019
Report

Report

Preparing New York City High School Students for the Workforce: Evaluation of the Scholars at Work Program

This report evaluates the Scholars at Work program, which connects students in Career and Technical Education courses at New York City high schools with local employers to improve the career chances of the students and meet the needs of employers.

Mar 28, 2019
Report

Report

Supporting Middle-Skills STEM Workforce Development: Analysis of Workplace Skills in Demand and Education Institutions' Curricular Offerings in the Oil and Gas Sector

In this report, researchers examine the alignment of college STEM education with the needs of employers in the tri-state region of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, as well as STEM areas in which college students need more support.

Feb 7, 2019
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Evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness Initiative in Kentucky

This report presents findings from an evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness initiative, which used a suite of personalized software in the kindergarten-12th grade setting in rural Kentucky schools.

Sep 27, 2018
Report

Report

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Program Progress in 2016–2017

This report presents information on recent participants of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, a quasi-military program for young people lacking a high school diploma. It also documents program progress in academics, fitness, and other areas.

Aug 20, 2018
Research Brief

The Uphill Climb: Women and Some Minorities Encounter Disparities in STEM Occupations, Even with Post-Secondary Education

This brief explores the role that postsecondary education plays in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, finding that women and some minorities are less likely to earn these degrees and to enter STEM employment.

Dec 8, 2017
Report

Postsecondary Education and STEM Employment in the United States: An Analysis of National Trends with a Focus on the Natural Gas and Oil Industry

This report aims to contribute new knowledge to understanding the role that postsecondary education plays in meeting the increasing demands of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce.

Dec 6, 2017
Report

Report

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Program Progress in 2015–2016

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe is a residential, quasi-military program for young people at risk of dropping out of high school. This report provides information on recent ChalleNGe participants and develops metrics of program success.

Nov 1, 2017
Journal Article

Do High School Stem Courses Prepare Non-College Bound Youth for Jobs in the Stem Economy?

In this paper we used data from a nationally representative sample of 10th graders in 2002 to test the hypothesis that non-college bound youth who take advanced academic STEM courses and applied STEM courses in high school will be more likely to hold jobs in the STEM economy and earn higher wages in the years immediately after exiting high school. We find no evidence in support of this hypothesis.

Aug 8, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Missing Key Stage 2 Data in LSYPE2: Technical Report

The Second Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE2) follows more than 13,000 pupils as they move on from compulsory education and begin their career paths, providing detailed insights into their background, choices and lives from the ages of 13/14 to 19/20.

Jan 11, 2017
Commentary

Support for Postsecondary Education in Prison

Correctional educational programs can reduce incarceration costs and recidivism. But it's critical that former inmates can connect with reentry services in the community to complete their education.

Dec 15, 2016
Commentary

To Increase Diversity in Tech, We Need to Rethink What 'Tech' Is

The tech sector is a driving force for high-skill, high-wage job creation in the United States, but too few women and minorities reap the gains. Rethinking what defines today's tech jobs, along with greater investment in public-private partnerships, could go a long way toward bridging the diversity gap.

Nov 17, 2016
Multimedia

Workforce Development for the Jobs of the Future

In this Events @ RAND podcast, our panel of experts discusses what California, the federal government, and employers are doing to nurture a workforce that is well prepared for the jobs of today and the future.

Sep 1, 2016
Commentary

Getting Technical: Preparing High School Students for the Workforce America Needs

Fields such as computers, engineering, and health care are expected to grow. Employers and policymakers have a vested interest in ensuring that America's high schoolers are ready to meet future employment needs. Access to high-quality career and technical education programs is key.

Aug 25, 2016
Report

More Research Would Inform Innovative Approaches to Veteran Employment

While the aim of veteran employment programs is to help veterans transition to civilian jobs, their impact is unclear. RAND hosted two workshops to recommend improvements to veteran employment opportunities and identify research gaps.

Aug 22, 2016

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RAND Topic:
Vocational Education

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