Fragmentation in Workforce Development and Efforts to Coordinate Regional Workforce Development Systems

25 Pages Posted: 7 Mar 2018 Last revised: 25 Apr 2022

See all articles by Stuart Andreason

Stuart Andreason

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; University of Pennsylvania

Ann Carpenter

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: April, 2015

Abstract

The importance of human capital in regional economic competitiveness is increasingly apparent. However, structural changes, fragmentation, the instability of funding, and other factors have led to challenges for workforce development providers as well as workforce development systems. This fragmentation has created a less coherent and coordinated workforce development system. Often, metropolitan areas have many programs and policies in place to train workers for jobs that require sub-baccalaureate credentials or skills. The lack of coordination in local training systems may limit the information available to job and training seekers, create duplication of services among providers, and discourage outcome measurement and program evaluation. This paper examines many of these trends and discusses the current state of the workforce development system in the United States by using the Atlanta metropolitan area as a case study. A number of commissioned studies focused on the Atlanta metropolitan area's workforce development system are summarized as local examples of these trends, including recommendations for improving regional collaboration. Finally, lessons learned from successful regional workforce development models in Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, and Detroit provide guidance for forging a successful strategy for regional workforce development. These regional collaboratives suggest a way to improve information, programming, and alignment in local job training ecosystems.

Keywords: labor policy, regional labor policy, economic development, workforce development, regional workforce intermediaries

JEL Classification: J5, O1, O2, R5

Suggested Citation

Andreason, Stuart and Carpenter, Ann, Fragmentation in Workforce Development and Efforts to Coordinate Regional Workforce Development Systems (April, 2015). FRB Atlanta Community and Economic Development Discussion Paper No. 2015-2, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3128153

Stuart Andreason (Contact Author)

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta ( email )

1000 Peachtree Street N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309-4470
United States

University of Pennsylvania ( email )

Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States

Ann Carpenter

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta ( email )

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