RAND Research Topic: Vocational Education

Bridge to Opportunities

2018-05-25T13:00:00Z

This report summarizes findings from a case study of a program intended to improve the earning potential of probationers in Sacramento County, California, by training them in construction trades and connecting them to high-wage employers.

How Educators and Employers Can Align Efforts to Fill Middle-Skills STEM Jobs

2019-02-07T05:00:00Z

This Research Brief explores the alignment of oil and gas industry--related college courses with employer needs in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, as well as ways in which employers and educators can collaborate to improve these courses.

Examining Career and Technical Education in National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Programs

2021-04-12T10:00:00Z

The authors examined career and technical education opportunities for participants in the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program, a residential, quasi-military program for youth ages 16-18 who are experiencing difficulty in traditional high school.

Fortifying Education as a Pathway to the Middle Class

2021-03-25T09:00:00Z

Education levels in the United States have been rising for 50 years, including large gains for many demographic groups. Adults with college degrees have higher incomes than their less-educated peers. But declining public support for higher education and increasing costs are making it harder to obtain degrees.

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe

2021-03-15T08:30:00Z

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program serves young people experiencing difficulty in traditional high school through a 5.5-month residential program. The authors of this report document the progress of program participants in 2019 and 2020.

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe

2020-11-06T07:45:00Z

In the fourth annual report on the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, a residential, quasi-military program for youth struggling in traditional high school, researchers provide information on participants who entered the program in 2018.

Making Improvements to Stackable Credential Pipelines

2020-09-23T09:00:00Z

Stackable credential programs are designed to make it easier for students to earn multiple postsecondary credentials within a field. This toolkit provides steps for identifying issues in and making improvements to stackable credential pipelines.

Career Guidance in Schools

2020-07-21T11:15:00Z

This report examines the provision of career guidance in schools and colleges in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough region.

How Can the United States Prepare a Workforce for Advanced Manufacturing Using Robotics?

2020-07-06T08:45:00Z

As industrial robots become more advanced, there likely will be a shortage of technicians with the skills to work with, program, and repair them. This brief presents findings of RAND researchers' analysis of the state of training for these workers.

An Analysis of Education and Training Programs in Advanced Manufacturing Using Robotics

2020-07-06T07:30:00Z

As industrial robots become more advanced, there likely will be a shortage of human workers with the technical and nontechnical skills to work with, program, and repair these robots. RAND researchers assess the state of training for these workers.

Stacking Educational Credentials in Ohio

2020-05-11T14:00:00Z

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.

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Program Progress in 2017–2018

2019-10-15T11:06:00Z

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.

Raising the Bar for Graduation Pathways to College and Work

2019-06-11T09:00:00Z

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.

Preparing New York City High School Students for the Workforce

2019-03-28T07:45:00Z

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.

Educators and Employers Could Align Efforts to Fill STEM Jobs

2019-02-07T08:00:00Z

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.

Supporting Middle-Skills STEM Workforce Development

2019-02-07T05:00:00Z

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.

Evaluation of the Creating College and Career Readiness Initiative in Kentucky

2018-09-27T08:30:00Z

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.

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe

2018-08-20T08:00:00Z

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.

Bridge to Opportunities: Connecting Probationers to High-Wage Jobs

2018-05-25T11:35:00Z

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.

The Uphill Climb

2017-12-08T16:45:00Z

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.