Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) youth program on employment outcomes.
- The study used a nonexperimental design with a matched comparison group. Using administrative data, the author conducted statistical tests to compare the outcomes between the groups by services received (remedial services or remedial services plus training) and whether or not they had prior employment.
- The study found that having work experience prior to exiting the program was significantly related to increased employment at follow-up.
- This study receives a low evidence rating. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) youth program; other factors are likely to have contributed.
Intervention Examined
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program
Features of the Intervention
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) combined several public education and training programs under a unified administration to assist economically disadvantaged individuals. The WIA youth program was a workforce development program that provided academic and employment services to youths between the ages of 14 and 21. Basic education skills, guidance counseling, job readiness, learning English as a second language, mentoring, obtaining a GED or high school diploma, making an employability plan, tutoring, study skills, or leadership development were some of the remedial services offered. Program case managers assisted participants with identifying occupational training leading to a certificate or credential. Job training also included internships and summer employment through the WIA program.
Features of the Study
The study used a nonexperimental design to evaluate the effect of the WIA youth program on employment outcomes. The study sample included 488 participants who exited the WIA youth program between July 2007 and June 2009 and were at least 18 years old at the time they exited the program. The sample was restricted to youth in Texas who received either remedial services or a combination of remedial and training services. Over half of the study sample were female (57%) and were 18 years old when they exited the program (52%). The majority identified as Hispanic (66%), had less than a high school diploma (90%), and had no barriers to employment (95%).
Participants were divided into two groups of 244 youth based on services received (remedial services or remedial and training services). The author matched participants on age, gender, race, highest level of education, and whether barriers to employment were present. Data sources included the Texas Workforce Commission database and the Unemployment Insurance database. The author used statistical analyses to compare the outcomes of participants by services received and whether or not they had prior employment.
Findings
Employment
- The study did not find a significant relationship between the type of services received and the number of quarters employed at follow-up.
- However, the study found a significant relationship between work experience prior to exiting the program and increased employment at follow-up.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
Although the author matched on age, gender, race and ethnicity, education level, and barriers to employment, studies must also account for pre-intervention employment measured more than one year before program participation. The author only accounted for whether or not the youth had work experience prior to program exit. Therefore, the study is not eligible for a moderate causal evidence rating, the highest rating available for nonexperimental designs.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the author did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) youth program; other factors are likely to have contributed.