“
This post originally appeared on the Workforce Data Quality Campaign (WDQC) website. Click here to learn more about WDQC.
The Obama Administration today released an action plan for improving federally-funded job training programs, including commitments to more effectively measure participants’ employment outcomes and use data to align training with labor market demands.
These principles are central to the Workforce Data Quality Campaign's reform agenda, which was developed by National Skills Coalition and other partner organizations. “Ready to Work: Job-Driven Training and American Opportunity” contains the following specific plans supported by WDQC’s recommendations for administrative action.
The Obama Administration’s action plan is the culmination of a government-wide review of job training programs led by Vice President Joseph Biden. Its release coincides with the President’s signing of WIOA.
The action plan cites another federal report, “What Works in Job Training: A Synthesis of the Evidence” as a basis for its strategies. That report notes the need for better evidence about several aspects of job training, including long-term outcomes and the value of different types of credentials. It recommends improving access to federal and state data, including wage records and linked data available through state longitudinal data systems, and support for the dissemination and use of labor market information.
“