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COVID-19 RESOURCES AND INFORMATION: See the Atlanta Fed's list of publications, information, and resources; listen to our Pandemic Response webinar series.

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Dec 30, 2020

Tackling Racial Equity through Community Development

Focusing on the role structural racism plays in our economy and society, the Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta, Boston, and Minneapolis launched the Racism and the Economy series. Partners Update reflects on emerging lessons from the series and what it means to use data and expertise to inform policymakers.

Nov 12, 2020

Virtual Panel Discussion on What Inclusive Recovery Means to the Southeast

Speakers from PolicyLink, Hope Enterprise Corp., Liberation in a Generation, and the Urban Institute shared their organizations’ visions of an inclusive economic recovery, particularly for communities of color. David Jackson of the Atlanta Fed’s Community and Economic Development group moderated the discussion.

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.

May 13, 2020

Amid the COVID-19 Crisis, a Tale of Two Southeastern Cities

Congress passed the CARES Act and other legislation to help workers who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. Partners Update considers a case study of a hypothetical laid-off restaurant worker in Birmingham and Miami and the potential financial assistance he'd receive in each city.

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.

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 12, 2018

Building a Skilled Workforce for a Stronger Southern EconomyOff-site link

The report examines the structural roots and policy decisions in the South that created the current skills gap, and it offers solutions to close that gap. The Atlanta Fed's Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity, St. Louis Fed, and National Skills Coalition collaborated on the report.

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.

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.

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.

Apr 26, 2016

Financing Workforce Development in a Devolutionary Era

Federal funding for the traditional workforce development system has declined dramatically over the past few decades. The author examines several promising alternative financing models for workforce development programs such as social impact bonds and income-share agreements.

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.

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)

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.

Jul 27, 2013

Aligning Regional Workforce Efforts: An Effective Industry-Informed Strategy

Regional collaboration can be an effective approach in responding to labor demands of local employers. Laura Chandler of the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council and Sam Covert of the Mobile Area Educational Foundation discuss how robust coordination among local workforce development players leads to more successful management of industry partnerships.

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.

Jun 18, 2012

Power in Partnerships: Addressing Workforce Development Challenges

Workforce development issues require collaboration across sectors and geographies. Damian Thorman, national program director at the John L. and James S. Knight Foundation, discusses the importance of public, private, and philanthropic partnerships in addressing local and regional workforce challenges.

Feb 16, 2011

Ready to Work? The Long Term Impact of Child Health on Economic Development

Chronic illnesses, including diabetes and high blood pressure, contribute to worker absenteeism, decreased productivity, and increased insurance costs to employers. Greater focus is being placed on preventive health care, including a closer look at children's health. Dr. Jay Berkelhamer, past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, discusses trends in child health and their implications for workforce development.