Adult vocational training
Program basics
- Connects adults to demand-driven, job-specific training and career and technical education
- May feature other support services, such as job search assistance
- Can be administered by community colleges, nonprofits, and other intermediaries
Strength of evidence
Evidence level: Proven (highest tier)
?
Proven (highest tier)
Ranked as having the highest level of evidence by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps
Target population
Low- and moderate-income adults
Program cost
Variable
Implementation locations
Dates active
1990-Present
Outcomes and impact
- Increased earnings and employment
- Potential decrease in recidivism
Keys to successful implementation
- Engage early and regularly with local employers and business leaders to identify high-demand industries and occupations with a strong long-term outlook; tailor program offerings accordingly.
- Prioritize funding enrollment in programs that build towards a degree (such as community colleges), but also have natural “checkpoints” such as the potential to earn a certificate in the short term.
- Encourage participants to consider diplomas or certificates in new industries in addition to ones in which they already have experience. Evidence indicates health programs often produce the most significant gains.
- Provide participants with clear, evidence-backed projections of future earnings and specific career paths within their selected industry and educational program.
- Partner with high schools, community colleges, and non-profit vocational programs to expand training in high demand industries.
