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Strategies for Closing the Skills Gap

November 8, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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Findings from Two Advanced Manufacturing Community College Career Pathways Training Programs Career pathways programs have the potential to transform the educational and labor market landscape of the manufacturing sector. SPR conducted multiple evaluations of Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT)-funded career pathways programs, including the Michigan Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (M-CAM) initiative and the Advanced Manufacturing, Mechatronics, and Quality Consortium (AMMQC) initiative, both of which focused on helping to close the skills gap in manufacturing. Findings across both initiatives suggest close coordination Continue reading →

Remaking Apprenticeship for the Modern Workforce

October 19, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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SPR’s Kristin Wolff and Vinz Koller will be talking about Remaking Apprenticeship for the Modern Workforce at the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers Fall Conference in Portland, Oregon on October 19th and 20th. They will identify key opportunities and challenges in modernizing and scaling apprenticeship and share ongoing lessons and findings from California’s $30M effort to reimagine apprenticeship for the modern era. On Friday, October 20th, they will be part of an Expert Panel: “21st Century Apprenticeships – Public-Private Partnerships that Work” moderated by Dr. Continue reading →

How REACH Supports First Gen Students’ Transition to College

October 16, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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This blog post was written by Sengsouvanh (Sukey) Leshnick of Social Policy Research Associates. SPR released a report highlighting outcomes of an experiential education program funded by the Orfalea Foundation. REACH (Resilience, Education, Adventure, Community and Health) is a four-year program for motivated low- to middle-income students from California’s Santa Barbara County. The program worked to establish a foundation for thriving adulthood by supporting youth in their development as “whole people” and aiding them to lead “lives of purposeful action, continuous learning and courageous pursuit Continue reading →

Sharing Our Work at Evaluation 2017

October 13, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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We’re looking forward to sharing our work and joining the conversation at the American Evaluation Association’s Evaluation 2017: From Learning to Action from November 8-11, 2017 in Washington, DC. Follow along with the conversation over Twitter @social_policy #Eval2017. For more information, please check out our sessions listed below: Wednesday, November 8, 2017: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Examining the Effect of Reentry Programming on Returning Individuals: Reentry Research and the Second Chance Act  SPR Staff: Ronald D’Amico Wednesday, November 8, 2017: 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM Community Conversations: Engaging Continue reading →

See you at APPAM!

October 12, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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SPR is excited to share our insights at the annual meeting of the Association for Public Policy and Management (APPAM) 2017 Fall Research Conference,  Measurement Matters: Better Data For Better Decisions, from November 2-4, 2017 in Chicago, IL. Follow @social_policy on Twitter for updates and reflections from #2017APPAM. Please join us for the following sessions: Thursday, November 2, 2017: 3:30 PM-5:00 PM Panel: Long-Term Follow-Ups of Workforce Development Programs Gold Coast (Hyatt Regency Chicago) SPR Staff: Christian Geckeler Friday, November 3, 2017: 10:15 AM-11:45 AM Continue reading →

What makes an apprenticeship an apprenticeship?

October 9, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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This blog post was written by Kristin Wolff of Social Policy Research Associates. In a word, quality. Last week, Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) participated in the international convening of innovators and researchers working to launch, build, and scale apprenticeship programs – INAP, the International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship. Sponsored by Urban Institute, the American Institute for Innovative Apprenticeship, and the Swiss Embassy, the event brought together representatives of dozens of countries to share ideas and experiences. Skills-building & Signaling Apprenticeship is the original training Continue reading →

Creating a Pipeline of Middle-Skill Workers for the New Manufacturing Economy

October 7, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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AMMQC Header
Recent technological changes, such as the rise of automated production, have contributed to new growth in advanced manufacturing sectors and increased demand for middle-skill workers – those who have some postsecondary technical education or related work experience but not necessarily a bachelor’s degree. Employers in many areas of the U.S. have reported difficulty finding enough workers with the skills they need, especially in emerging fields such as robotics, and many have called for reforms in the education and training system to generate a stronger pipeline Continue reading →

Michigan Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (M-CAM)

September 29, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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The Michigan Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing (M-CAM) initiative was designed to help unemployed adults (including TAA-certified workers) gain the skills required to fill available jobs in Michigan’s advanced manufacturing sector. The M-CAM initiative was developed by a consortium of eight community colleges in Michigan and was funded in October 2014 by the U.S. Department of Labor through a Round 3 Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant. The M-CAM leadership team selected Social Policy Research Associates as the third-party evaluator for the Continue reading →

Meet SPR at Meeting of the Minds

September 1, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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We’re excited to share our work and join the conversation at the California Workforce Association’s Meeting of the Minds: Driven by Demand on September 5-7, 2017. For more information, please check out our sessions listed below: Tuesday, Sept 5, 2017 10:00 – 11:30 Advancing Apprenticeships San Carlos 2 Moderators Vinz Koller, Director of Training and Technical Assistance Social Policy Research Associates Diane Walton, OSID Chief, ETA, Region 6, U.S. Department of Labor Presenters Suzi LeVine, Former Ambassador to Switzerland & Liechtenstein Eric LeVine, CEO, CellarTracker Continue reading →

Connecting Older Adults to Benefits Programs

August 29, 2017 by Social Policy Research Associates
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This blog was written by Anne Paprocki of Social Policy Research Associates. By providing support for healthcare expenses and food, public benefits programs like the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help low-income older adults stay healthy, self-sufficient, and in their homes. But multiple studies have found that eligible older adults under-enroll in these programs due to stigma, belief that others are more deserving, the perceived burden of applying, or difficulty following complex application and eligibility processes. The National Continue reading →