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Sep 18, 2020

The Racial Income Gap and Benefits Cliffs

Income gaps along racial lines are the result of long-standing structurally discriminatory policies across U.S. institutions. Although laws have changed, the legacy of these policies still affects people today. Partners Update examines how benefits cliffs differentially affect minority populations.

Aug 24, 2020

Service Providers to Low-Income Communities Face Challenges of Their Own

Low-income individuals and communities are feeling the brunt of job losses due to the pandemic. At the same time, organizations providing support services to that population are facing their own challenges. Partners Update explores southeastern organizations’ sentiments from a national survey.

Jun 04, 2020

Dollars and Sense: Affordability of Childcare

For many working families with young children, childcare is essential to maintain employment. Childcare prepares children for kindergarten and future learning and success. Partners Update examines childcare during the economic downturn, including its costs.

Mar 31, 2020

Benefits Cliffs as a Barrier to Career Advancement for Low-Income Adults: Insights from Employment Services Providers

How do counselors explain benefits cliffs to clients who want to advance in their careers? The authors conducted focus groups with employment service providers to address this question.

Feb 26, 2020

Research on Understanding and Overcoming Benefits Cliffs

Partners Update summarizes a recent discussion paper on benefits cliffs, which occur when a person’s gains in earnings are offset by the loss of public benefits. The paper offers potential policy interventions that may help mitigate benefits cliffs and promote career advancement.

Jan 31, 2020

Benefits Cliffs and the Financial Incentives for Career Advancement: A Case Study of the Health Care Services Career Pathway

What are the financial trade-offs a single parent faces when moving up the career ladder? The authors develop a new methodology to study the impact of benefits cliffs on the financial incentives to advance in a career.

Dec 18, 2019

Report on Bridging the Gap between Economic and Workforce Development

When the economic development and workforce development systems are aligned, job seekers receive training and skill development that employers demand, and employers have access to a skilled workforce. Partners Update summarizes a report on the benefits of aligning the two systems.

Oct 15, 2019

Digital Skills Needed

The rapid pace of technological change requires workers to have robust digital skills in the workplace. Partners Update summarizes a recent report on strategies to invest in worker training.

Sep 04, 2019

A Fresh Look at Opportunity Occupations

The Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity has updated its Opportunity Occupations Monitor data tool, which tracks trends in opportunity employment across the country. Partners Update discusses the tool's new features.

Jun 25, 2019

Report Highlights Feedback on the CRA

The Federal Reserve Board has published a report that summarizes the stakeholder feedback it received from roundtable discussions on modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act. Read Partners Update for more details.

Jun 21, 2019

What Works at Scale? A Framework to Scale Up Workforce Development Programs

The author examines a sample of recent randomized controlled trials of workforce development programs and discusses how this body of evidence could inform policymakers about what works at scale.

Jun 21, 2019

Scaling Up Workforce Development Programs

Partners Update previews a discussion paper that provides workforce development policymakers with a two-step method to incorporate evidence-based programs at scale.

Dec 06, 2017

Bridging the Health-Community Development Divide

Community development and health professionals often work with the same residents in separate silos, but that is beginning to change. Partners Update previews a paper on emerging health-community development partnerships in the Southeast.

Dec 04, 2017

Can Community Development Improve Health? Emerging Opportunities for Collaboration between the Health and Community Development Sectors

Health and community development professionals are learning to collaborate to address the social determinants of health. The author investigates promising partnerships in the Southeast in this first of a two-part series.

Nov 08, 2017

Opportunity Occupations: Well-Paying Jobs for Middle-Skill Workers

What opportunities and decent-paying jobs exist for workers who don't have a college degree? This article gives an overview of recent Fed research on the topic.

Nov 06, 2017

Event: Advancing Health and Community Development Partnerships

The event explored how health and community development professionals are learning to collaborate. Participants represented a variety of sectors, including health care, public health, community development, housing, government, and research. The Build Healthy Places Network, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Georgia Health Policy Center cohosted the event, which was held in Atlanta during the national American Public Health Association Conference.

Oct 04, 2017

Event: Investing in America's Workforce: Improving Outcomes for Workers and EmployersOff-site link

Learn how business, government, nonprofits, and others have reframed workforce development as investments in opportunity and competitiveness and attracted new and leveraged existing funding.

Jun 22, 2017

An Eye on the Future: A Discussion about the Long-term Care Insurance Market

The Economy Matters podcast talks to Atlanta Fed economists about the long-term care insurance market. podcast

Jun 02, 2017

Beige Book: Labor Market Tightness Reaching Entry-Level Jobs

Atlanta Fed business contacts have a mostly positive outlook on economic growth in the region. Economy Matters summarizes the part of the Beige Book reporting on economic conditions in the Southeast.

May 24, 2017

The Wherefores and Whys of Wages

After an extended period of relative stagnation, wages have been showing signs of growth. This episode of the Economy Matters podcast discusses recent wage trends and how the Atlanta Fed views wage behavior. podcast

Apr 19, 2017

Beige Book Finds Optimism, Ongoing Hiring Challenges

Economy Matters article offers highlights of the Atlanta Fed’s portion of the Beige Book.

Apr 13, 2017

Identifying Opportunity Occupations in the Southeast Adobe PDF file format

The brochure examines the types and share of opportunity occupations—jobs for middle-skill workers that pay at or above the national median wage—in all Sixth District states. It also depicts returns to education across the Southeast.

Apr 13, 2017

Where Will Opportunity Knock? A Discussion of Opportunity Occupations

In an era when education's importance in the employment sector has steadily increased, what role do well-paying jobs that don't require a college degree play? An episode of the Economy Matters podcast talks to some Atlanta Fed experts. podcast

Mar 23, 2017

Event: Strong Foundations: The Economic Futures of Kids and CommunitiesOff-site link

Does early child development plus education equal a stronger economy? The Federal Reserve System's 10th Biennial Community Development Research Conference spotlighted high-quality, emerging research on this and other questions, with featured speakers including Fed Chair Janet Yellen and Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Children's Zone.

Feb 07, 2017

eBook: Developing Career-Based Training

This eBook examines various approaches to establishing technical and career-based training and the importance of building out the skills needed for the workforce in today's increasingly complex and rapidly changing global economy.

Feb 06, 2017

Exploring Atlanta's Community Development Landscape with Governor Lael Brainard

Fed Governor Brainard visited Atlanta neighborhoods with community and economic development and supervision and regulation team members. They met with community members and organizations to discuss local efforts, reports Partners Update.

Jan 25, 2017

Uneven Opportunity: Exploring Employers' Educational Preferences for Middle-Skills Jobs Adobe PDF file format

The Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and Philadelphia investigate the factors that contribute to employer requirements of a bachelor's degree for four key opportunity occupations.

Jan 25, 2017

Uneven Opportunity: Variation in Employers' Educational Preferences for Middle-Skills Jobs

New Philadelphia and Atlanta Fed research explores why employer preferences for bachelor's degrees for the most prevalent opportunity occupations differ significantly between metro areas. Partners Update summarizes the findings.

May 12, 2016

The Developing State of Workforce Development

An evolving economy demands workers with evolving skill sets, and training employees to meet new employment demands is an ongoing challenge. The episode discusses trends in workforce development in the Southeast as well as nationally.

May 05, 2016

The Promise and Reality of Apprenticeship Programs in the United States

Apprenticeships have the potential to improve economic opportunity for workers who lack a traditional college education. Partners Update assesses the state of apprenticeships in the Southeast and nationally.

Mar 01, 2016

eBook: Models for Labor Market Intermediaries

This eBook explores the role of community and economic development organizations in workforce development and the importance of fostering and facilitating partnerships to address local workforce challenges.

Oct 21, 2015

Leading, Lagging, and Left Behind: Identifying Metropolitan Leaders and Labor Market Outcomes

The percent of the population that gained a bachelor's degree or higher rose by 7.9 percentage points from 1990 to 2010. However, only 78 of 283 metro areas were above that 7.9 percentage point increase. The author examines four labor market outcomes in those 78 "leader metros."

Sep 09, 2015

Identifying Opportunity Occupations in the Nation's Largest Metropolitan Economies

The report identifies good-paying jobs in the 100 largest U.S. metro areas for workers who have less than a four-year college degree. The Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta, Cleveland, and Philadelphia collaborated on the findings. Full report Adobe PDF file format  (8 MB) | Infographic Adobe PDF file format (392 KB)

Aug 10, 2015

Event: Developing Qualified Workers: Pathways to Employability for High School Students and Graduates

Leaders from the business, government, nonprofit, and academic sectors explored some of the efforts currently under way to develop a stronger workforce. Noted Harvard University Professor Ronald Ferguson also shared a framework for providing multiple school-to-career pathways, including college and noncollege options.

Jul 15, 2015

Digital Badging: Credentialing Soft Skills for Better Workplace Outcomes

New research points to soft skills as an important indicator for success in the workplace. Jonathan Finkelstein, founder and CEO of Credly, and Laura Lippman, senior fellow at Child Trends, discuss digital badging as a way to document these currently amorphous workplace skills in this Economic Development podcast episode. podcast

Jun 15, 2015

Transforming U.S. Workforce Development Policies for the 21st CenturyOff-site link

The book explores how new policies and practice can meet the changing needs of workers, businesses, and their communities. The Atlanta and Kansas City Feds and Rutgers' Heldrich Center for Workforce Development collaborated on the book, which has contributions from over 65 leading scholars and practitioners engaged in workforce development.

May 18, 2015

Future Fortunes: Are City-Suburban Educational Attainment Trends in the Southeast United States Unique?

The Southeast has historically lagged behind the rest of the nation in terms of education attainment. This Partners Update article looks closely at census and other data to try to uncover some positive trends that may exist despite the lag.

Apr 14, 2015

Future Fortunes: Trends in Educational Attainment in U.S. Legacy Regions

The authors investigate educational attainment trends in legacy cities, older industrial areas that once relied on manufacturing and production but lost jobs and population, in this third article in a series in Partners Update.

Mar 26, 2015

Future Fortunes: Trends in Educational Attainment in the Most Populous Metros

In this second Partners Update article in a series, the authors examine educational attainment trends across the country's 50 largest metropolitan areas and how the trends may have different implications for cities and suburbs.

Feb 24, 2015

The Soft Skills Gap

In listening sessions with the Atlanta Fed, workforce training providers noted the lack of soft skills in some workers. Those skills can be roughly divided into essential and workplace skills, and this Partners Update article discusses each set of skills.

Jan 06, 2015

A Promising Approach: Improving Graduation Rates and Building a Better Workforce

High school graduation rates can have a broad effect on an area's economic vitality. How can communities implement programs to help students graduate while also providing work skills? Mike Beatty, of Great Promise Partnership, and Mike Wiggins, formerly of Southwire Company, discuss an exemplary model in an Economic Development podcast episode. podcast

Nov 24, 2014

Connecting People to Work: Lessons Learned in Sectoral Approaches

How can sector-based workforce development strategies address the needs of both employers and job seekers? Maureen Conway of the Aspen Institute and Fred Dedrick of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions discuss a recent book on the topic in an Economic Development podcast episode. podcast

Aug 25, 2014

Strategies to Mitigate Rural Poverty Using Human and Social Capital

One outcome of the recent recession is that rural poverty rates are the highest since the mid-1980s. Mil Duncan, founding director of the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute, discusses the issues facing the rural poor in an Economic Development podcast episode. podcast

Jul 23, 2014

Promoting Educational Attainment at the Local Level

Much of the wage growth in the United States over the last several decades has gone to the most productive (and highly educated) workers. A new Partners Update article looks at the implications for community and economic developers.

Mar 31, 2014

Evolution of the Ecosystem: State Workforce Development Agencies

State workforce development agencies are crucial in deploying federal funding related to job training and placement. Rich Hobbie of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies and Burt Barnow of George Washington University explore how these agencies are evolving as funding streams change. podcast

Feb 26, 2014

Help for Difficult-to-Employ Populations: Colocating Jobs and Training Opportunities

Can business models be designed to support low-income populations by providing jobs, necessary training, and other support services? In an Economic Development podcast, Carla Javits and Jason Trimiew at the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund discuss their proposal for viable businesses that also include a workforce development component.

May 28, 2013

People-Centered Practices: Improving the Workforce Potential for Those with Disabilities

How can the workforce development system better respond to people with disabilities? Kathy Krepcio, of Rutgers' Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, and Michael Morris, of National Disability Institute, discuss innovative programs and policies designed to ensure this sector is poised to meet employers' labor needs.

Apr 29, 2013

Employer and Lower-Wage Employee Perspectives on Training and Advancement

There is value for both the employee and employer in enhancing the skill sets of lower-wage workers. Mark Popovich of the Hitachi Foundation and Jenny Benz of the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research discuss findings of a recent study on this topic and implications for policy and practice.

Feb 25, 2013

A Case for Greater Company Participation in Workforce Development

How can employers be effective partners in improving the local workforce ecosystem? Peter Cappelli, professor and director of the Wharton School's Center for Human Resources, discusses how firms can provide on-the-job training for skills needed within their organizations.

Jan 16, 2013

Event: Aligning Workforce Development and Employment Strategies for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The conference discussed job market issues affecting low- and moderate-income communities. Speakers addressed the need to retool educational systems and redesign curricula to match graduates to the job market. They also explored the multiple challenges of an aging workforce, stagnant wages, and concern for the long-term unemployed. The Atlanta and Kansas City Feds cohosted the event.

Nov 14, 2012

Collaborative Efforts: Colleges and Nonprofits Partner to Enhance Workers' Skills

Maureen Conway of the Aspen Institute discusses the results of the Institute's Courses to Employment project, which analyzed how community colleges and nonprofits worked together to help low-income adults succeed in the classroom and labor market.

Oct 15, 2012

Working Solo: Trends in the Growing Self-Employment Sector

Stephan Goetz, director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, discusses his recent research on the growing impact of self-employment as an economic development strategy. He also describes the types of local programs and policies that can support this sector.

Sep 19, 2012

Event: The Future of Workforce Development: Where Research Meets Practice

The conference discussed job market issues affecting low- and moderate-income communities. Speakers addressed the need to retool educational systems and redesign curricula to match graduates to the job market. They also explored the multiple challenges of an aging workforce, stagnant wages, and concern for the long-term unemployed. The Atlanta and Kansas City Feds cohosted the event.

Feb 02, 2011

The Intersection of Medical Training and Economic Development

A critical shortage in medical professionals, especially in rural and low-income areas, is a challenge facing medical colleges. Dr. Wayne J. Riley, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College, discusses the future of medical training and its implications for economic development.

Nov 17, 2010

The Role of Technical and Vocational Schools in Easing Job Skills Mismatch

Technical and vocational schools are well positioned to provide practical training that meets the needs of local employers. James King, vice chancellor for the Tennessee Technology Centers, discusses how these schools can partner with employers and position their graduates to thrive in today's emerging job sectors.

Sep 08, 2010

Getting to Work: Community and Vocational Colleges Explore New Paradigms for Workforce Development

Community, technical, and vocational colleges play an important role in preparing the workforce for the immediate labor demands of local employers and promoting full employment in their service regions. However, current economic conditions have challenged traditional models, prompting revised and sometimes new approaches. Dr. Rolando Montoya, provost at Miami Dade College, the nation's largest nonprofit institution of higher learning, discusses how a community college can nimbly adjust its curriculum to respond to the fast-changing workforce needs of local businesses and strengthen local economic development.