Labor Topics

• Measuring Program Performance
• Finding Out What Works
• Using Vouchers to Deliver Services
• Helping Service Members
• Self-Employment as an Alternative Strategy
• Moving Young People into Productive Careers
• Encouraging Employment for Ex-Offenders
• Addressing Unique Problems of Experienced Workers
• Assisting DOL and Grantees
• Clients

Examining Green Jobs as an Engine for Economic Growth

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 provided $750 million for a program of competitive grants to train workers in high-growth industries, of which $500 million went to support jobs in the energy-efficiency and renewable-energy industries (also known as “green jobs”). While 90 percent of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) ARRA green jobs funding went to support training programs for workers, $50 million was reserved for grants to state workforce agencies to improve labor market information (LMI) on green jobs and enhance the labor exchange infrastructure that connects workers to jobs.

Mathematica’s evaluation, for DOL’s Employment and Training Administration, sought to understand how the recipients of the state LMI Improvement grants used their grant funding. To learn more about implementation, the study addressed the following questions:

• How did grantees define green jobs?
• What did grantees learn about green jobs?
• What investments did grantees make to enhance LMI infrastructure?
• What role did partnerships play?
• How did grantees advance the development and dissemination of LMI?
• What lessons might inform future work?

Mathematica was asked to broadly document the activities of all 30 grantees, provide a detailed description of the activities and partnerships of a subset of grantees, and identify grantees’ challenges and promising practices. The evaluation drew upon three key data sources: (1) grantees’ responses to LMI Improvement grants solicitation and quarterly progress reports, (2) in-depth site visits to 9 selected sites, and (3) document review. Site visits included interviews with staff in the LMI shops, partner organizations, and stakeholder groups.

Publications

"Investing in Labor–Market Information (LMI): Insights from the Recovery Act LMI Grants" (September 2012)
"Investing in Labor–Market Information (LMI): A Summary of the State LMI Improvement Grants" (August 2012)

Practioner Briefs:

"Disseminating Labor Market Information: Insights from the State LMI Improvement Grants," Brief 3 (October 2012)
"Strategic Partnering to Advance LMI: Insights from the State LMI Improvement Grants," Brief 2 (October 2012)
"Using Real-Time LMI To Explore Green Jobs," Brief 1 (September 2012)