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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Ready to Work Partnership Grant evaluation: Findings from the interim impact study of four employment services programs for the long-term unemployed (Klerman et al., 2022)

Review Guidelines

Causal Evidence Guidelines

This study was conducted by staff from Abt Associates, which co-administers CLEAR. The review of this study was conducted by ICF, which co-administers CLEAR and is trained in applying the CLEAR causal evidence guidelines. 

Citation

Klerman, J.A., Herr, J.L., Martinson, K., & Copson, E. (2022). The Ready to Work Partnership Grant evaluation: Findings from the interim impact study of four employment services programs for the long-term unemployed. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor. Rockville, MD: Abt Associates. [JVS Programs]

Highlights

  • The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Ready to Work (RTW) Partnership Grant Program on earnings, employment, education, and public benefits receipt outcomes. This profile focuses on the Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) programs. The authors investigated similar research questions for other sites, the profiles can be found here:
  • The study used a randomized controlled trial to assign participants to the JVS programs or the control group. The primary data sources were an 18-month follow-up survey and the National Directory of New Hires. The authors used statistical models to compare outcomes between treatment and control group participants.  
  • The study found that JVS program participants received significantly more certificates, credentials, licenses, or degrees compared to control group participants.  
  • The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is high because it was based on a randomized controlled trial with low attrition. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Jewish Vocational Services programs, and not to other factors.  

Intervention Examined

Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) Programs

Features of the Intervention

In 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor funded the Ready to Work (RTW) Partnership Grant Program that provided $180 million in grants to deliver customized employment services to long-term unemployed workers (those who have been out of work for at least 27 consecutive weeks). RTW focused on employment preparation for high-growth industries and occupations, particularly those being filled by H1-B foreign workers. 

One RTW grantee was Jewish Vocational Services (JVS), a not-for-profit organization in the San Francisco Bay area. The grantee implemented two programs, Skills to Work in Technology and Job Search Accelerator, from May 2015 to October 2019. To be eligible for the JVS programs, individuals had to be 18 years or older, legally allowed to work in the United States, be a resident of the counites that JVS serves, have a high school diploma, and have experienced long term unemployment. JVS also targeted individuals who had experience or related college education in the information technology industry. JVS provided job training, job search skills, and job readiness skills with the goal of providing individuals with employment in information technology.  

Features of the Study

The study used a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of the JVS programs on earnings, employment, education, and public benefits receipt outcomes. Upon completion of a baseline survey at study enrollment, 993 individuals were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group. Study authors assigned 502 individuals to participate in the JVS programs (treatment) and 491 individuals to the control group. Treatment participants received JVS program services. Control group participants received information on other employment related services that were not funded by the RTW grant through JVS and other community services. Individuals in the control group were not actively referred to any program. The study sample were primarily women (63%), White (53%), between the ages of 45-54 years (29%), and had a bachelor’s degree (49%). Data sources included an 18-month follow-up survey and the National Directory of New Hires. The authors used statistical models to compare outcomes between treatment and control group participants. 

Study Sites

  • Alameda County 
  • Contra Costa County 
  • San Francisco City 
  • San Francisco County 
  • San Mateo County 
  • Santa Clara County 

Findings

Earnings and wages

  • The study found no significant impact of participation in the JVS programs on average earnings in quarters 5 and 6 after random assignment. 

Employment

  • The study found no significant impact of participation in the JVS programs on employment in quarters 5 or 6 after random assignment.  

Education and skills gains

  • The study found that significantly more JVS program participants (16%) received any type of certificate, credential, license, or degree compared to control group participants (6%). 

Public benefits receipt

  • The study found no significant impact of participation in the JVS programs on any type of public benefits receipt.  

Causal Evidence Rating

The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is high because it was based on a well-implemented randomized controlled trial. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Jewish Vocational Services programs, and not to other factors.  

Additional Sources

Herr, J. L., Klerman, J. A., Martinson, K., & Copson, E. (2022). The Ready to Work Partnership Grant evaluation: Technical appendix for the interim impact study of four employment services programs for the long-term unemployed. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor. Rockville, MD: Abt Associates.

Reviewed by CLEAR

April 2024

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