Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Foster, L. R., Staklis, S., Ott, N. R., & Moyer, R. (2018). Kansas Technical Re/training Among Industry-targeted Networks (KanTRAIN) TAACCCT IV evaluation final report. Raleigh, NC: RTI International.
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Kansas Technical Re/training Among Industry-targeted Networks (KanTRAIN) program on education, earnings, and employment outcomes.
- The authors used a nonexperimental design to compare education, earnings, and employment outcomes of KanTRAIN participants to a matched comparison group.
- The study found KanTRAIN participants were significantly more likely to earn more credits per semester, pass a higher percentage of the credits attempted, attain more credentials, and earn a nondegree credential or a college degree, and receive a wage increase than the comparison group.
- The quality of causal evidence presented in this study is low because the authors used a comparison group from previous enrollment years presenting a confounding factor. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the KanTRAIN program; other factors are likely to have contributed.
Intervention Examined
Kansas Technical Re/training Among Industry-targeted Networks (KanTRAIN)
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 Kansas Technical Re/training Among Industry-targeted Networks (KanTRAIN) program was funded by a Round IV TAACCCT grant and implemented by five community and technical colleges in Kansas. The main objectives of the KanTRAIN program were to expand institutional capacity and develop career pathway programs in health care and advanced manufacturing. The program sought to increase employer engagement, facilitate outreach to veterans, and upgrade technical skill training programs by aligning these pathways with statewide initiatives. To expand and strengthen existing career pathways, KanTRAIN incorporated several evidence-based strategies. These strategies included design and delivery of industry-focused and employer-driven workforce training models, integration of industry-recognized and stackable credentials into career pathway programs, strengthened case management and increased support for participants.
Features of the Study
The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of students who participated in the KanTRAIN program to students who did not participate. The authors matched KanTRAIN students to similar students using propensity scores developed from 21 demographic and academic variables. Across the five colleges, study participants included 4,617 students. The treatment group included 1,168 students who participated in the KanTRAIN program and were enrolled between fall of 2015 and spring of 2017. The comparison group was a historical cohort composed of 3,449 students that were enrolled between fall 2011 and summer 2015 in the same or similar programs (prior to KanTRAIN implementation). Using data from the KanTRAIN program and the Kansas Board of Regents, the authors conducted statistical models to examine differences in outcomes. Outcomes included number of credits earned, proportion of credits passed, nondegree credential attainment, college degree attainment, employment status, quarterly wages, and wage difference.
Study Sites
- Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia, Kansas
- Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas
- Washburn Institute of Technology in Topeka, Kansas
- Washburn University Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas
- Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Wichita, Kansas
Findings
Education and skills gain
- The study found a significant relationship between program participation and general credits earned and passed, with KanTRAIN students earning 1.5 more general credits per semester, and passing a higher percentage than students in the comparison group (87% versus 83%).
- The study found a significant relationship between program participation and technical credits earned and passed, with KanTRAIN students earning 2.1 more technical credits per semester, and passing a higher percentage than students in the comparison group (91% versus 88%).
- The study found that KanTRAIN students were significantly more likely to earn a earn a nondegree credential (72%) and earn a college degree (11%) when compared to students in the comparison group (62% and 9%, respectively).
Earnings and wages
- For study participants with pre-enrollment data, the study found that the likelihood of a wage increase was 6% higher for KanTRAIN students compared to students in the comparison group.
- The study found no other statistically significant relationships between the KanTRAIN program and wages.
Employment
- The study found no statistically significant relationship between the KanTRAIN program and employment.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
The authors used a cohort from previous enrollment years as the comparison group. Because the outcome data on the two groups were collected from participants at different times, differences in outcomes could be due to time-varying factors (such as overall changes at the community college) and not the program. Also, the employment data used in the analyses were all self-reported and only available for participants employed or unemployed in Kansas or Missouri. Participants employed or unemployed outside of these states were not included in the employment outcome analysis of the study. Finally, the study did not account for changes in state or regional labor markets, thus, a broader economic context may have impacted the estimated effects of the KanTRAIN program on employment and earnings 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 study is low because the authors used a comparison group from previous enrollment years presenting a confounding factor. This means we are not confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the KanTRAIN program; other factors are likely to have contributed.