Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
de la Mora, A., Callen, E., Kemis, M., & Abraham, W. (2017). Iowa Western 2017 ITC2 annual evaluation report: Information technology - Credentials to Careers (ITC2), Iowa Western Community College. Arnes, IA: Research Institute for Studies in Education.
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Information Technology – Credentials to Careers (ITC2) program on education, earnings, and employment outcomes.
- The authors used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who were enrolled in Computer Information Technology (CIT) programs after the initiation of ITC2 programming to those who were enrolled in CIT programs prior to the start of the ITC2 program.
- The study found that ITC2 program participation was associated with a significant increase in certificate attainment.
- The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is low because the authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention and did not include sufficient controls. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the ITC2 program; other factors are likely to have contributed.
Intervention Examined
Information Technology – Credentials to Careers (ITC2) Program
Features of the Intervention
The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program provided $1.9 billion in grants to community colleges to improve skills and support employment in high-demand industries, notably manufacturing, health care, information technology, energy, and transportation. Through four rounds of funding, DOL awarded 256 TAACCCT grants to approximately 800 educational institutions across the United States and its territories.
The Information Technology – Credentials to Careers (ITC2)program began in 2014 and was implemented in Computer Information Technology (CIT) programs at Iowa Western Community College (IWCC). This included programs in computer science, application and web programming, cyber security, management information systems, network and system administration, programming, and graphic communications. The ITC2 program included curriculum development, increased course offerings, faculty/staff training, facilities improvement, and links to industry and 4-year institutions.
Features of the Study
The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who participated in the ITC2 program (starting in fall 2014) to students who were enrolled in CIT programs prior to the start of the ITC2 funding (fall 2011- spring 2013). Study participants included 52 students in the treatment group and 49 in the comparison group. Using data from Iowa Western Community College and Iowa Workforce Development, the authors conducted statistical tests to examine differences in outcomes between the groups. Outcomes included certificates awarded, number of Associate degrees earned, number of jobs, wages earned, and difference in wages earned over two time periods. The authors analyzed data from participants one quarter prior to enrollment at IWCC (time 1), and data from the second full quarter after two years of enrollment at IWCC (time 2; this is the time it takes to receive an Associate degree plus one quarter).
Findings
Education and skills gain
- The study found that participation in the ITC2 program was significantly associated with certificate attainment, with ITC2 students earning 10% more certificates than students in the comparison group.
- However, the study did not find a significant relationship between ITC2 program participation and the number of associate degrees earned.
Earnings and wages
- The study did not find a significant relationship between ITC2 program participation and wages earned at time 2.
- The study also did not find a significant relationship between ITC2 program participation and differences in wages from time 1 to time 2.
Employment
- The study did not find a significant relationship between ITC2 program participation and the average number of jobs held at time 2.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The authors did not account for preexisting differences between the groups before program participation or include sufficient control variables. These preexisting differences between the groups—and not the ITC2 program—could explain the observed differences in outcomes. 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 authors did not ensure that the groups being compared were similar before the intervention and did not include sufficient controls. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the ITC2 program; other factors are likely to have contributed.