Workforce Development Programs Research Articles

Nuclear Reactor Safety Training and Workforce Development Program (DOE)

Nuclear Reactor Safety Training and Workforce Development Program (DOE)

A program evaluation of the new choices workforce development program: An appreciative inquiry approach

A significant amount of money ($1.76B annually in the United States) is spent on workforce development programs, while there is limited research on the effectiveness of workforce development programs in meeting their program objectives and assisting program participants in attaining employment. This study evaluated the New Choices Program, a workforce development program offered by PA Women Work, to help its clients obtain employment and overcome personal and professional barriers. The program has historically been offered in a 30-hour in person format but was forced to be modified to a 10-hour virtual program when the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions began. This program evaluation included a comparative analysis of the perceptions of participants in the 30-hour in person program and the 10-hour virtual program. It was found that participants in both the 30-hour in person program and 10-hour virtual program perceived the program positively, experienced an increase in self-confidence and belonging, which led to either obtaining employment or being better prepared for the job search process. The data will help inform the New Choices program stakeholders on programmatic improvements and how best to structure the program in the post-pandemic employment world.

THE EFFECTS OF ECOTOURISM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN IRAQ

Tourism is one of the most essential elements of the modern service sector and contributes significantly to countries' economies, including Iraq. It also plays a vital role in increasing national income and improving the balance of payments in foreign exchange. It aims to provide job opportunities for the workforce and implement development programs. The research problem is identifying Ecotourism's effects on sustainable development in Iraq. The main objectives of the research are: What is the meaning and concept of Ecotourism and sustainable development, and what are the requirements for its application? What is the importance of Ecotourism as the most critical type of modern tourism? How do ecotourism dimensions impact sustainable development in Iraq? The most crucial search results: 1- The dimensions of sustainable development were represented in the environmental dimensions, social and political dimensions, economic dimensions 2- The research results showed that ecotourism principles take into account nature - ecological sustainability - environmental culture - and tourism satisfaction. 3- The environmental impact of Ecotourism on development was represented in (Ecotourism efforts lead to the continued reduction of energy and natural resource consumption) - The state should be able to reduce the problem of pollution as long as it has the financial and technical, and human resources to ensure the use of cleaner technologies and fewer resources - An ethical and ethical approach to Ecotourism.

Overview of hands-on satellite development training of local companies in the Philippines as a means to develop a space workforce

The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) initiated the InDUS3US project, a Collaborative Satellite Development Project-inspired training program offered for free to engineers from the country's promising “space-adjacent” sector, to support the establishment of a domestic satellite manufacturing capability. The first phase of the project, which covered the satellite mission definition phase to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), saw the involvement of 20 Industry Engineers (IEs) from 10 different Filipino companies. The participants' active participation and positive feedback suggest the viability of this approach to space workforce capacity building. This paper examines the contributing factors that shaped the training program design, followed by an evaluation of the strong points and areas of improvement taken from the perspective of PhilSA and the industry participants. Finally, recommendations are presented for the next phase of the InDUS3US project, which could also be applied to similar space workforce development programs that might be undertaken in the future.

Barriers Toward the Implementation of Extended Reality (XR) Technologies to Support Education and Training in Workforce Development Programs

Barriers Toward the Implementation of Extended Reality (XR) Technologies to Support Education and Training in Workforce Development Programs

Agents of Change: Geriatrics Workforce Programs Addressing Systemic Racism and Health Equity.

Many factors affect how individuals and populations age, including race, ethnicity, and diversity, which can contribute to increased disease risk, less access to quality healthcare, and increased morbidity and mortality. Systemic racism-a set of institutional policies and practices within a society or organization that perpetuate racial inequalities and discrimination-contributes to health inequities of vulnerable populations, particularly older adults. The National Association for Geriatrics Education (NAGE) recognizes the need to address and eliminate racial disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for older adults who are marginalized due to the intersection of race and age. In this paper, we discuss an anti-racist framework that can be used to identify where an organization is on a continuum to becoming anti-racist and to address organizational change. Examples of NAGE member Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programs (GWEPs) and Geriatrics Academic Career Awards(GACAs)activities to become anti-racist are provided to illustrate the framework and to guide other workforce development programs and healthcare institutions as they embark on the continuum to become anti-racist and improve the care and health of vulnerable older adults.

156 Art as a Multiplier of Science Communication

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Scientists are increasingly confronted with 'science critical' #_msocom_1 belief systems. The politicization of science fuels hesitancy towards evidence-based therapies. To overcome these barriers, we aim to devise strategies to communicate clinical translational science (CTS) through art. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A two-year pilot artist-in-residency (AIR) program embedded in the Translational Research Immersion Program (TRIP). Since 2009, TRIP contributes to CTS Workforce Development (WD) through a 10-week mentored, curriculum-rich summer undergraduate research experience. Students are recruited from 5 regional institutions, 6 HBCUs, and the University of Puerto Rico. AIR is composed of 3 phases: the “Immersive Phase” where the artist gains intensive exposure to the scientific process through the lived experience of TRIP students, the “Productive Phase” where the artist conceptualizes the process of CTS into works of art, and the “Engagement Phase” where the CTS workforce, artists, and community members coalesce around science-to-art materializations. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In 2022 & 2023 the AIR participated in ~35hrs of CTS research seminars, panel discussions, and professional skills workshops. Additional TRIP student-AIR interaction occurred in focus groups including visits to mentor’s labs. An AIR-led workshop culminated in an Empowering CTS Communication event where TRIP students engaged with community members through elevator pitches of their CTS summer project on a speed-rotating basis. A month-long art-CTS exhibition planned for 3/2024 will feature contributions from AIR, TRIP students, and ITMAT community members. Qualitative insights were that TRIP is an effective art-science incubator, students strengthened their CTS communication skills, art functions as an icebreaker between science and communities with an ocean of opportunities for science education. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: AIR embedded into existing CTS WD programs is proposed as creative approach to strengthen the reputation of science in the public. CTS-informed art functions as connective tissue between public and CTS workforce. The hands-on experience to adopt art as a science communication tool is a powerful soft skill for the next generation of CTS investigators.

Влияние культурных особенностей на развитие социально-трудовых отношений и практику корпоративного обучения в странах Ближневосточного региона

The presented work examines the peculiarities of social and labor relations, approaches to the organization of personnel training and development in the Middle East and their conditionality with cultural and religious aspects of objective social reality. Despite the fact that the countries of the Middle East region have the largest and most diversified economies, there is practically no data or research results in the literature regarding strategies and practices of corporate training and personnel development in companies in these countries. The article notes that business owners are usually strongly influenced by national culture, which itself is strongly influenced by religion. Arab culture plays an important role in the formation of the organizational structure and decision-making in the organizations of the States of the region. Most senior executives in large private sector organizations tend to be citizens of the country, but they often act as managers, and day-to-day operations are run by expatriates. Citizens of Middle Eastern states do not adhere to the work ethic recognized in the West. It is concluded that, despite the high degree of awareness of the importance of corporate training and workforce development programs, the sphere of social and labor relations, personnel policy and principles of personnel management in companies in the region have their own characteristics due to the influence of religion and culture.

Learning from the COVID‐19 pandemic: Improving academic continuity in workforce development programs

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic caused an abrupt change in educational programs worldwide, including workforce development education in community colleges. Given the hands‐on requirements of these programs, considerations for changes included if and how instructors and students could maintain academic continuity during the pandemic. This article focuses on aviation maintenance technology schools (AMTS) as a case study to understand how programs that rely heavily on hands‐on learning responded to COVID‐19 significant disruption to education. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must approve educational training for aviation maintenance careers, and the FAA requires specific hands‐on activities in the curriculum. Of the 182 AMTS in the United States, 143 are located within community colleges. We conducted 43 interviews with AMTS students, administrators, and instructors from 18 different community colleges. Following content analysis of the interviews, the authors identified six findings related to how these programs responded to the pandemic, with special attention to maintaining academic stability. The article advocates for integrating digital learning tools (DLT) to create resilient educational programs when disruptions occur. These tools allow for students to continue to asynchronously practice the procedures and familiarize themselves with the materials needed for projects, provide students immediate feedback on their learning, and save schools money on expensive resources when students require extra practice on certain skills and processes. The application of these tools is relevant beyond the pandemic, helping students in many scenarios succeed in the face of natural disasters, family obligations, and the need for extra learning resources.

Examining the influence of item exposure and retrieval practice effects on test performance in a large‐scale workforce development training programme

AbstractMany workforce development training programmes use learning gains as a measure of programme effectiveness. However, research on K‐12 education suggests that posttest scores may be influenced by pretesting effects. Pretesting may improve posttest performance by giving learners preknowledge of posttest content. Alternatively, pretesting may enhance learning via the retrieval practice effect. Cross‐classified analysis was used to detect pretesting effects in archival data from a large‐scale agriculture workforce development programme. Data included scores from 14,302 learners, 352 trainers and 261 training centres. Results indicated that pretesting led to higher scores on posttests. Follow‐up logistic regression analyses found no effect for time lag between pretest and posttest. In addition, pretested learners did not perform better on items that were included on both forms, suggesting that score differences were due to retrieval practice effects rather than preknowledge of posttest content. These results provide evidence that pretesting may enhance learning in large‐scale workforce development training courses.

Duke Energy Foundation awards $350,000 for workforce development programs.

Duke Energy Foundation awards $350,000 for workforce development programs.

Infant mortality in Ghana: investing in health care infrastructure and systems.

Child and infant mortality is a global problem. Almost half of deaths of children under age 5 years occur in the neonatal period, the first 28 days of life, with 2.4 million neonatal deaths globally in 2020. Sub-Saharan Africa has disproportionately high numbers of neonatal deaths. Ghana's neonatal mortality rate is 22.8 per 1000 live births and remains behind targets set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Quality antenatal care, postnatal monitoring, breastfeeding support, and postnatal family planning are important in preventing neonatal deaths. While Ghana has made progress in making care more financially accessible, it has not been matched with the improvements in the critical infrastructure required to ensure quality health care. The improvements have also not eliminated out-of-pocket costs for care, which have hindered progress in decreasing infant mortality. Policymakers should consider investments in health care infrastructure, including expanding public-private partnerships. Policies that improve workforce development programs, transportation infrastructure, and health insurance systems improvements are needed.

An evaluation of the Live Well Erie workforce development program, jumping off the benefits cliff: A protocol paper.

While research has suggested that addressing multiple needs simultaneously may increase the chances for positive labor force outcomes, few studies have explored a multi-pronged approach to assist individuals with jumping off the benefits cliff. The purpose of the current study is to explore the potential of a Career Pathway program designed to supplement benefits for those who "jump off the benefits cliff." This study will employ qualitative impact assessment protocol (QuIP) and observational methods to assess the implementation of the career pathway program through (1) observation, (2) focus groups with service providers and program stakeholders, and (3) semi-structured interviews with program participants. Qualitative thematic analysis will be employed to analyze responses disaggregated by the various service providers and program participants. Codes and themes generated from the analyses will be compared both within the groups of service providers and participants and between the groups.

Energy Transition and its Impact on Employment in East Africa

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to explore the energy transition and its impact on employment in East Africa.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to energy transition and its impact on employment in East Africa. Preliminary empirical review revealed that the energy transition presents a significant opportunity for East Africa to address its energy needs, combat climate change, and create employment opportunities for its growing population. However, realizing the full potential of this transition requires a coordinated effort from governments, businesses, and civil society. Policies and investments should be designed to ensure that the benefits are inclusive, reaching all segments of society, including women and marginalized communities. By addressing the challenges and leveraging the opportunities of the energy transition, East Africa can not only achieve its energy and environmental goals but also contribute to sustainable economic development and improved livelihoods for its people. This study serves as a foundation for further research and policy action in this critical area, emphasizing the need for a holistic and equitable approach to the energy transition in East Africa.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Human Capital theory, Structural Transformation theory and the Just Transition theory may be used to anchor future studies on energy transition and employment. The study made the following recommendations: investing in workforce development and training programs, promoting gender inclusive employment, facilitating just transition mechanisms, supporting community based renewable energy projects and fostering public-private partnerships.

COVID-19 impacts on youth and young adult workforce development programs: A local perspective

In the United States in 2020, an estimated 12.6% of individuals ages 16 to 24 were disconnected from education and employment – up from 10.7% in 2019. While the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 authorizes several youth-focused workforce development programs that target services toward disconnected youth, COVID-19 and ensuing mitigation measures exposed structural inequities in access to educational systems, workplace environments, and employment opportunities. This qualitative study examines the impact of COVID-19 on five local youth and young adult (YYA) workforce development programs, providers, and YYA participants in an urban county in Texas. Study participants included 12 youth-serving staff representing 5 programs, and 7 YYA representing 1 program. Semi-structured interview protocols guided three focus groups and four individual interviews. Data were analyzed in Dedoose by three researchers using thematic analysis. Impacts on programs included amplified recruitment and retention challenges related to safety protocols, disrupted interagency connections, access to technology, and YYAs competing priorities. Impacts on providers included changes in work-life balance and perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. Impacts on YYA included disruptions to education and employment, increases in (a) the need for mental health services, (b) unstable and/or unsafe living situations, (c) availability of resources like food and housing assistance, and a decrease in access to critical resources like transportation and government IDs. Recommendations include planning for flexibility in performance requirements for future crises, building a community coalition to target barriers to participation in these programs, and providing access to YYA mental health services within programs.

Lowe's Foundation awards nearly $8 million for workforce development programs.

Lowe's Foundation awards nearly $8 million for workforce development programs.

The Effect of Workforce Development Program Participation on Older Workers Aged 50 or Older in Georgia

The Effect of Workforce Development Program Participation on Older Workers Aged 50 or Older in Georgia

Lowe's Foundation awards nearly $8 million for workforce development programs nationwide

Lowe's Foundation awards nearly $8 million for workforce development programs nationwide

Transitioning Electrochemical Technologies into Agriculture via the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center Model

One of the most difficult challenges in translating electrochemical technologies into agriculture is the lag in education about the impact of electrochemical technologies in the field. Other challenges include lack of (1) investment and resources for translational research; (2) effective mechanisms to derisk investment; (3) a workforce prepared to translate and operate such technologies; (4) policy, legal infrastructure, and holistic business growth models; and (5) diverse and inclusive leadership “agents of change” to transition the technologies into the market. Opportunities to translate research into the market require strong partnerships with industry, universities, government, and stakeholders. An effective model is the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) model. An NSF ERC Gen-4 launched in August 2022 is the Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER). Industry and other practitioner organizations are actively involved at the very early stage (articulation of the vision) and during operation in activities such as: participation in strategic planning, joint research, providing input into workforce development programs, mentoring students, and engagement in proof-of-concept testbeds. All these activities and engagement are key to accelerating technology transfer and to transitioning technologies from the lab to the market, while training an effective workforce for industry.

Comparing Virtual vs In-Person Immersive Leadership Training for Physicians.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a disruption of in-person workforce development programs. Our immersive physician-oriented leadership institute suspended in 2020, resumed in 2021 with a virtual program, and in 2022 reconvened in-person training. We used this opportunity to compare the participant experience, including reported knowledge acquisition and ability gains, between these nearly identical curricula delivered in vastly different circumstances and formats. We describe the differences in immersive leadership training implementation and adaptations made for virtual vs in-person engagement of two cohorts of OB-GYN physicians. Data were collected from virtual (n=32) and in-person (n=39) participants via post-session surveys. Quantitative data reported includes participant ratings for knowledge gain and ability gain. Qualitative data were obtained via open-ended feedback questions per session and the overall experience. Knowledge and ability scores indicated strong, statistically significant gains in both formats, with some reported learning gains higher in the virtual training. Qualitative data of participant feedback identified a number of positive themes similar across the in-person and virtual settings, with virtual participants noting how construction of the virtual program produced highly effective experiences and engagement. Constructive or negative feedback of the virtual setting included time constraint issues (eg, a desire for more sessions overall or more time per session) and technical difficulties. Positive comments focused on the effectiveness of the experience in both formats and the surprising ability to connect meaningfully with others, even in a virtual environment. However, there were also many comments clearly supporting the preference for in-person over virtual experiences. Immersive physician leadership training can be effectively delivered via virtual or in-person methods, resulting in significant reported gains of knowledge and skills. These programs provide valuable interpersonal connections and skills to support physician leadership. While both formats are effective, participants clearly prefer in-person leadership development experiences and interpersonal learning.