The American job force is changing. With layoffs plaguing tech, retail, and the federal government, displaced workers don't know where to turn. The US unemployment rate has stayed in the 4-4.2% range since May of 2024.
That number may look small on paper, but it means that 7.2 million people in the country are unemployed. Not to mention, that number proportionately affects at-risk populations, including youth, justice-involved individuals, and people of color living in poverty.
To combat these struggles, local governments are seeking new workforce development solutions to aid individuals in their search for new work. Software solutions can help governments, individuals, employers, and nonprofits better work together to train the available workforce with industry needs. In this article, we'll discuss growing employment development needs and how workforce development software like PlanStreet plays a crucial role.
Integrating Technology in Workforce Development Programs
Software can help create equal access for all groups of people to workforce development. It allows nonprofits to offer digital training that helps people overcome hurdles related to where they live, their socioeconomic status, or prior technical experience. Programs focused on digital literacy allow participants to build skills needed for emerging industries, leveling the playing field for those entering or reentering the workforce.
Workforce development software particularly lifts up programs in the four following areas.
1. Upskilling and Reskilling Initiatives: Empowering the Unemployed with New Skills
The rise of automation leaves workers with obsolete skills. With generative AI, companies are hiring fewer entry-level workers, making it difficult for young people or recent college grads to find a position. Global events like the pandemic caused significant job losses, especially in traditional sectors like manufacturing. While some of these jobs bounced back, this has not been seen in Rust Belt states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.
However, people are eager to learn, with 42% of workers interested in upskilling. Local government workforce programs have sought to meet the demand through two initiatives:
- Upskilling: Makes an individual more proficient in their current role or prepares them for promotions.
- Reskilling: Helps an individual acquire new skill sets for a different role, adapting to shifting market demands and/or new technologies.
These initiatives aim to provide displaced workers with the training needed to transition into high-demand sectors like technology, healthcare, and renewable energy. It can also help youth acquire additional knowledge they may need to bypass an entry-level position and gain necessary employment.
How PlanStreet's Software Aids Tracking Reskilling Programs
PlanStreet offers a unique solution to help government agencies, nonprofits, and workforce development professionals elevate their reskilling programs. It provides easy-to-use tools to manage and track:
- Training activities
- Participant progress
- Skills assessments
- Industry-recognized certificates
- Training providers
Additionally, outcome tracking and performance metrics help leaders assess how well workers are adapting to new roles.
2. Youth Employment Programs: Giving the Next Generation a Strong Start
While the nationwide unemployment rate may only be around 4%, the youth unemployment rate (people aged 16-24) is a whopping 10%. Young people may lack work experience or the inability to pay for skill development opportunities, including college or trade schools. This leads to a challenging start to adult life, particularly for individuals exiting the foster care system who may have less fiscal support from family.
However, agencies can focus their efforts on youth employment programs, including:
- Internships
- Mentorships
- Apprenticeships
These can help bridge the gap between high school, college, and the workforce.
If you're a student, recent grad, or young person looking for employment opportunities, try the following programs:
- Job Corps: Helps students learn the skills needed for in-demand industries, acquire a high school diploma, train in different fields, and gain access to critical employment connections.
- YouthBuild: A pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for youth ages 16-24 who have never completed a secondary diploma.
- Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEP): Provide temporary, paid summer work experience and job training for young people, typically ages 14-24, to develop essential workplace skills, gain career exposure, and earn money to support themselves and their families. Each state usually operates its own program.
How PlanStreet's Youth Employment Programs Software Helps
PlanStreet helps governments organize and manage youth employment programs by automating processes such as intake, application management, placement, and follow-up. Case management features help caseworkers to support youth participants with personalized coaching, skill development, and job-readiness training. Robust reporting shows how local governments meet employment targets and track the long-term success of their programs.
3. Second-Chance Hiring: Supporting Justice-Involved Individuals
The Prison Policy Initiative highlights some of the biggest hurdles previously incarcerated individuals face when applying for jobs, including:
- Harsh parole conditions
- A lack of social welfare programs
- A tough job market
With no other options, these individuals take low-paying jobs that strain their reintegration into society.
However, local governments have recognized the importance of workforce re-entry programs, which focus on providing training, job placement, and support for justice-involved individuals.
How PlanStreet's Second-Chance Hiring Software Makes a Difference
PlanStreet supports these initiatives by providing intuitive tools to track participants' progress. With automated intake, needs assessments, and referral management, PlanStreet helps case workers connect second-chance participants with the right training resources and employers. PlanStreet can integrate with local businesses and nonprofits to create a network of employers willing to hire individuals who have overcome past mistakes.
4. Public Workforce Initiatives: Governments and Nonprofits Teaming Up to Improve Outcomes
Many local economies face a significant problem: unemployment and skills mismatch between job seekers and available jobs within the economy. This can happen when an industry leaves one city for another. For example, Los Angeles is synonymous with the entertainment industry, but has seen on-location film production decrease by 22.4% in the last year.
Public workforce initiatives help individuals access job counseling, apply for approved training, and receive funding for upskilling and reskilling. These initiatives improve employment in communities through:
- Creating opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds
- Connecting individuals with the education needed to be viable in the job market
- Actively coordinating with local employers to ensure the training is accurate.
With funding from government grants or state partnerships, they can provide additional resources for people and regions suffering from economic hardships.
How PlanStreet Helps Automate Workforce Programs for Local Governments
PlanStreet ensures that agencies can track each individual through every stage in the program, ensuring participants receive appropriate training, career coaching, and job matching services. Our workforce development software simplifies federal, state, and grant reporting by tracking outcomes using standard metrics, such as WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) and PIRL (Participant Individual Record Layout).
With PlanStreet, teams can generate ready-to-use, federally compliant reports in seconds. The platform continuously monitors participant milestones, skill gains, and employment rates, allowing organizations to optimize programs and demonstrate community impact.
Building Stronger Partnerships With Workforce Development Automation
Nonprofit and federal workforce development programs have one goal in mind: to help the most people possible while using the fewest resources. Programs must choose the correct software vendor to maximize the money allocated to them.
PlanStreet supports collaboration with a customizable interface. Our pricing plans are unique to each of our clients, so that you never pay for services that you'll never use. We can create an interface that exactly meets your program's needs, whether it's a government reskilling program, youth initiative, or second-chance hiring solution.
Your workforce development programs can thrive with tools from PlanStreet, including:
- Data-Driven Decision Making: With built-in analytics, PlanStreet helps governments track program outcomes and make informed decisions for future initiatives.
- Real-Time Reporting: Local governments can access real-time reporting on program success, ensuring transparency and accountability to stakeholders and the community.
- Training and Job Placement Management: Track progress through all program stages, ensuring participants receive the best training, career coaching, and job-matching services.
- Simplified Collaboration: PlanStreet enables seamless referrals between education providers, employers, and agencies, helping increase job placements and improve support for participants through communication tools.
Leverage PlanStreet's Digital Workforce Management Tools to Better Fight Unemployment in Your Community
Case workers, educators, government agencies, and community resources all work together to lift up youth, the formerly incarcerated, and unemployed individuals seeking new skills to broaden their appeal in the job market. PlanStreet's workforce development software connects these groups, equipping them to better design, manage, and assess the effectiveness of their programs.
With data from PlanStreet, your teams can implement change based on what's worked in the past, helping clients thrive in their futures. If you're ready to learn more about how PlanStreet can specifically meet the needs of your organization, schedule a free live demo with our experts today.