Partnering with the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board to evaluate a demand-driven talent pipeline that addresses the significant need for skilled advanced manufacturing workers in the region, on a just-in-time basis.
PPA was selected to evaluate the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative (MPI), funded by a Workforce Investment Fund (WIF) grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to the Connecticut Department of Labor and implemented by the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board (EWIB). Candidates register their interest in the program via a virtual portal and complete a thorough assessment of math, reading, and work-readiness skills aligned with employer needs. The labor-preparation process includes a basic-skills and job-readiness refresher course for those not meeting entry requirements. Short-term, intensive occupational skills training, developed with significant employer involvement, prepares participants with the skills required of new hires. Additional skill needs are addressed through on-the-job training provided by participating employers. Participants are offered support services while in skills training. The MPI offers potentially meaningful lessons for other large-scale, intensive, industry- or sector-driven initiatives.
Services:
- Literature review of evidence base
- Stakeholder and key informant interviews
- Participant and employer surveys
- Site visits
- Virtual and face-to-face focus groups
- Program data analysis