Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tweet[IWS] Brookings: BETTER WORKERS FOR BETTER JOBS: IMPROVING WORKER ADVANCEMENT IN THE LOW-WAGE MARKET [December 2007]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Brookings Institution
The Hamilton Project
Better Workers for Better Jobs: Improving Worker Advancement in the Low-Wage Labor Market [December 2007]
Harry J. Holzer, Georgetown University
http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2007/12_labormarket_holzer.aspx
or
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2007/12_labormarket_holzer/12_labormarket_holzer.pdf
[full-text,40 pages]
Abstract
This paper proposes a new federal funding stream to identify, expand, and replicate the
most successful state and local initiatives designed to spur the advancement of low-wage
workers in the United States. In the Worker Advancement Grants for Employment in
States (WAGES) program, the federal government would offer up to $5 billion annually
in matching funds for increases in state, local, and private expenditures on worker
advancement initiatives. To gain funding, states would have to develop local advancement
"systems," which would provide career-oriented education and training to youth,
working poor adults and "hard-to-employ" workers. Partnerships would be developed
between local training providers (like community colleges), employer associations, and
intermediaries. Additional financial supports for the working poor—including child care,
transportation, and stipends for working students—would have to be funded as well.
Initially, the WAGES program would require states to compete for federal grants, which
would ultimately be renewable. The program would generate a "learning system" in which
states would have an incentive to innovate and use information from other initiatives. The
federal government would provide substantial technical assistance and oversight. Performance
measurement and rigorous evaluation would be required for program renewal;
states achieving substantial worker advancement would be awarded major bonuses and
more rapid renewal of funding.
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Brookings Institution
The Hamilton Project
Better Workers for Better Jobs: Improving Worker Advancement in the Low-Wage Labor Market [December 2007]
Harry J. Holzer, Georgetown University
http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2007/12_labormarket_holzer.aspx
or
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2007/12_labormarket_holzer/12_labormarket_holzer.pdf
[full-text,40 pages]
Abstract
This paper proposes a new federal funding stream to identify, expand, and replicate the
most successful state and local initiatives designed to spur the advancement of low-wage
workers in the United States. In the Worker Advancement Grants for Employment in
States (WAGES) program, the federal government would offer up to $5 billion annually
in matching funds for increases in state, local, and private expenditures on worker
advancement initiatives. To gain funding, states would have to develop local advancement
"systems," which would provide career-oriented education and training to youth,
working poor adults and "hard-to-employ" workers. Partnerships would be developed
between local training providers (like community colleges), employer associations, and
intermediaries. Additional financial supports for the working poor—including child care,
transportation, and stipends for working students—would have to be funded as well.
Initially, the WAGES program would require states to compete for federal grants, which
would ultimately be renewable. The program would generate a "learning system" in which
states would have an incentive to innovate and use information from other initiatives. The
federal government would provide substantial technical assistance and oversight. Performance
measurement and rigorous evaluation would be required for program renewal;
states achieving substantial worker advancement would be awarded major bonuses and
more rapid renewal of funding.
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 4:35 PM
