Half of all American workers are considering a career change. However, this can be an impossible task for people living below the poverty line. Low month-to-month income variations have drastic implications for workers, with 82% of people experiencing them also suffering from financial distress. Many of these workers want a better path forward, but don't have the means or experience to carve their way to a more lucrative career.
That's where workforce development programs can solve the problem. They teach workers within a community the skills needed for more advanced jobs. This will be particularly important in the years to come, with 44% of current workers requiring new skills due to the advancement of AI.
What Is Workforce Development?
Workforce development encompasses education, training, and career-related services designed to improve the credentials and employability of individuals. It helps businesses and communities develop the talent they need to thrive. It focuses on connecting people to job opportunities, upskilling workers, and closing equity gaps to drive economic growth and strengthen wages.
"Workforce development is the coordination of public and private sector policies and programs that provide individuals with the opportunity for a sustainable livelihood and help organizations achieve exemplary goals, consistent with the societal context." — Ronald L. Jacobs and Joshua D. Hawley, Emergence of Workforce Development: Definition, Conceptual Boundaries, and Implications
Three Perspectives on Workforce Development
Workforce development is typically approached by three groups in three different ways:
- Educational Institutions/Social Services: Focus on the perspective of an individual's financial security.
- Communities: Focus on the benefit of sustainable economic growth in a specific area.
- Employers: Focus on the skills their business or industry needs to remain competitive.
Ideally, workforce development programs implement all three perspectives, coordinating with wraparound services to drive positive outcomes.
1. The Individual-Focused Model
Many educational institutions and social services organizations care most about the outcome of the individual. It is not just about creating a successful or popular training program, but one that prioritizes workers who able to earn better wages upon completion. This helps tackle other issues in turn, including racial inequity in the workplace.
2. The Societal-Centric Perspective
The goal of the societal perspective is future economic stability and growth. Their primary concern is for the livelihood of many people in one area, honing in on social and economic barriers that could prevent them from moving forward.
Some of their driving goals include:
- Reducing unemployment rates
- Boosting industries that improve the economy
- Increasing quality of life
- Breaking existing cycles of poverty
3. The Organizational Focus
For employers, their focus is on developing skills for workers that will boost their profitability and help them maintain competitiveness. Employer-led programs are a key strategy for workforce development funded by the federal government.
7 Services Offered in Workforce Development Programs
Workforce development programs offer key resources and training to help workers qualify for in-demand jobs in their community. For example, American Job Centers are funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration to help people find new jobs, complete training, and secure the aid needed to cover fees.
Within a workforce development program, the following services are usually offered:
- Job Search and Placement: Help with looking for employment opportunities, securing interviews, and landing the position.
- Career Guidance: Typically, case workers provide a plan to follow for clients on how to seek a new career.
- Access to Employment Resources: Programs offer access to the internet, computers, and other tech for job hunting and training.
- Technical Training: Occupation-specific education.
- Skills-Building Workshops: Single sessions on financial literacy, digital literacy, and more.
- Work-Based Learning Opportunities: On-the-job training, apprenticeships, and internships.
- Wraparound Services: Supportive case management services that connect individuals to other critical needs to maintain stable employment, including housing, medical care, and more.
- Supportive Services: Helping individuals access standard needs, including transportation, child services, financial aid, and more.
5 Benefits of a Workforce Development Program
Workforce development programs come in different sizes and shapes. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but rather, focus on the needs in your community. Whether your organization offers on-the-job training, educational programs, community-based programs, or a mix of the three, here are some of the benefits you'll see for both employers and potential workers.
- Higher Earning Potential: People with certificates typically earn 19% more than before they were certified.
- Easier Employability: Workers can find jobs faster because they are trained with skills that industries in their area need.
- Improved Job Security: By learning skills that are up-to-date with industry demands, workers are less likely to be laid off.
- Reduced Recruitment Gaps: Companies spend less on recruitment with a direct pipeline of workers to meet their needs.
- Increased Regional Competitiveness: Workforce development programs help make areas more appealing due to the increase in qualified professionals.
What Leads to Successful Workforce Development?
Workforce development requires key groups working together effectively to meet needs. Systems to improve collaboration, like PlanStreet's Workforce Development Software, are vital to track clients, measure outcomes, and iterate as needed for high success rates.
1. Demand-Driven Program Design
Every program must be created with an intimate knowledge of community employment needs. Employers should be active in developing curriculum and needs assessment tools. Every training session or pathway offered should end with the skills required to complete a specific job in your local area.
2. Active Employer, Employee, and Community Engagement
All relevant parties—from case managers to employers to unions to clients—must be on the same page about what the program needs to address. For example, suppose clients are struggling to arrive at work on time due to unreliable transportation. In that case, their case managers can help provide them with a solution (such as an affiliated carpool program).
Workforce development software provides a place where all stakeholders can track client needs and success. If a client starts to decline in participation or attendance, an employer or case manager can reach out to address the issue before they fall too far behind.
3. Comprehensive, Accessible Services
Program participants benefit when supportive resources, such as case management, mentoring, wraparound services, and ongoing career counseling, are integrated into the program. This is particularly important for lifting people out of poverty. They may need additional stipends or direct financial support while in job training to maintain housing, secure mental health care, or other crucial services.
4. Data-Driven Strategies
Case managers and employers need hard data to assess the best strategy for their workforce development software. Analytics reporting tools in workforce development software allow for customizable tracking of metrics, such as enrollment rates, participation rates, and program completion rates. These can help you spot gaps in your programs or understand how to make a class or workshop more effective.
5. Regular Evaluation
Organizations should utilize data from workforce development software to assess their programs. One tried and true model is the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model, which has four levels:
- Level 1. Reaction: Measures your program participants' response to the training through surveys and feedback forms.
- Level 2. Learning: Assess how much your clients have gained from the program through quizzes or practical exercises.
- Level 3. Behavior: After program completion, workers can complete self-assessments, or their supervisors can give feedback on how they have implemented their skills in real-world scenarios.
- Level 4. Results: Use performance metrics (such as KPIs) to assess how training impacts the bottom line of the employers.
Uplift Your Workforce Development Program with PlanStreet
Help build a more employable community with PlanStreet's workforce development software. We've created one all-encompassing platform for critical services, including case management, analytics, grant tracking, and more.
Our workforce development platform provides case managers, employers, and educators with:
- Customizable, digital risk and needs assessments for individuals and communities.
- Simple enrollment and attendance tracking tools.
- Communication with employers to locate job openings and match them to candidates.
Start toward a better tomorrow for your community and schedule an introductory call with one of PlanStreet's workforce development experts today.