Workforce Development

Apprenticeships — in which an individual is paid to learn a set of skills through on-the-job training — help meet labor demands of businesses, while offering workers higher wages and better employment outcome. A December report by the Center for American Progress analyzed the effectiveness and return on investment for apprenticeships. These programs, the study found, not only generate a high level of satisfaction among employers, but also lead to significant increases in lifetime earnings for workers — as much as $300,000. The apprenticeship model, however, is not widely used in the United States. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, less than 5 percent of U.S. secondary-school students take part in apprenticeships. But the model has begun to attract the attention of more state lawmakers.

States often compete intensively to attract firms in emerging high-tech or science-focused industries. If leaders can successfully craft policies that entice those industries to relocate or expand in their state, it can mean better jobs and greater prosperity for residents. One obstacle for policymakers, though, is finding a way to link the significant human capital and expertise in state universities and research institutions with private sector companies looking for those same resources. A recent CSG webinar discussed ways to overcome those obstacles through research networking systems and how state economic development agencies can collaborate with the academic community to highlight in-state research expertise to the private sector.