Tools and Training

Here are some resources developed by our training and technical assistance team.

Career Pathways Framework, Toolkit, and Resources

SPR developed a collection of tools and resources to aid state and local leaders with building and sustaining career pathway systems within the local communities. A framework, toolset, collection of promising practices, and toolset for facilitators are included in the Career Pathways Toolkit: Six Key Elements for Success. In addition to these resources, the online community of practice features additional resources and webinar recordings:

The Future of Workforce Leadership: WEadership

Something very significant is happening in Workforce Development: With a labor market in flux and public resources shrinking, workforce leaders are finding new ways to advance workforce development goals in their communities by finding new ways to lead. This collection of resources documents their insights and their practices. See the framework, guide, and videos available online.

Supporting Justice-Involved Individuals

This collection of resources were designed to assist those working with justice-involved individuals successfully transition to education and careers. For this initiative we produced videos documenting promising practices of staff, practitioners, and employers working with previously incarcerated individuals. In addition, we developed an online community and archive of tools, resources and webinars providing tools and supportive resources for organizational staff.

Designing Innovative Programs based on Evidence-Based Practice

These tutorials and resources support organizations in their development of innovative programs based on evidence-based practice. Using tools such as logic models as a starting point, these resources will aid practitioners with understanding how to back their innovative program ideas with research and plans to support effective implementation. View the tutorials online:

Strengths-Based Customer Service Strategies

These resources are designed to help staff maximize their customers’ strengths in order to enhance employment and educational outcomes. Resources include:

Tools and techniques to create partnerships with customers to help them achieve their goals.
Training scenarios that include practical guidelines and skills-building exercises.
Examples of engaging strengths-based conversations between frontline staff and customers.

View the video, toolkit, and webinars.

Career Pathways System Measurement

This memo provides guidance for career pathways system collaboratives aiming to develop performance measurement systems. After a brief description of what career pathways are and why they are necessary, we provide information on the types of measures that might be used in a performance system for career pathways, along with specific examples of such measures. Finally, we outline a recommended process for selecting and customizing a specific set of measures and metrics, along with some advice on how to set performance targets.
Download the memo

Creating Highly Effective Workforce Boards

These interactive training resources cover the key elements of creating a highly effective board moving through the functions of grant steward, system builder and, ultimately, regional backbone. Highlights include:

Evolution of boards and promising practices of effective boards
Roles and structure to move boards towards greater efficiency
Leveraging resources and talents of the board to develop a successful workforce and fuel economic development

Download the training slides. Download the Assessment Tool.
Download the facilitator guide and online curriculum.

Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data (WIASRD) Online Training

This online tutorial helps state and local staff members better understand the data elements in the Workforce Investment Act Standardized Record Data, or WIASRD. Because the WIASRD is used by the workforce system nationwide, it is important for workforce professionals throughout the country to share a uniform understanding of the data fields. The WIASRD is a collection of individual records, each of which contains information about an individual participant’s characteristics, service received, and outcomes. View the online training.

Ten Steps to Developing an Effective State Monitoring System: Manual and Webinars

Want to improve your state program monitoring strategies and practices? These tools and resources describe the ten steps a state can take to develop effective program monitoring systems. The manual includes key questions that states need to address in developing a state monitoring system and a self‐assessment tool to help states identify where they are in the process. The manual also includes descriptions of effective state monitoring practices. Webinars provide promising and effective practices to support effective program monitoring

View the manual and the webinars:

Vinz Koller

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