Rockville MD,, Oct. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Training programs are a critical approach to improve low-wage earners’ income and fill positions in expanding industries such as healthcare, but it’s important to identify which programs work and which don’t. The Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded an Abt Associates-led team a $7.3 million, five-year contract to continue large impact evaluations of two rounds of Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG 1.0 and 2.0) and nine programs under the Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) initiative. The team includes MEF Associates and The Urban Institute.
The scope includes a five-year follow-up survey of a sample of HPOG 2.0 participants and analyses of administrative data on education and earnings through 10 years for participants in the HPOG 1.0 and PACE studies. The extended periods for this research will provide important evidence on the extent to which study participants make educational progress, gain employment, and increase their earnings over time.
The HPOG program trains low-income adults for healthcare jobs with the potential for good wages and career advancement. The PACE study includes evaluations of nine programs that are using career pathways approaches to increase credentials, employment, and self-sufficiency among low-income, low-skilled workers.
“These evaluations will provide important information about the effectiveness of these programs over longer follow-up periods,” says Gretchen Locke, project director and Abt principal associate, social and economic policy. “We will be able to identify longer-term patterns in study participants’ education and employment outcomes. We also will explore factors that produce success and barriers that impede achievement of program goals.”
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Abt Associates is a global consulting and research firm that uses data and bold thinking to improve the quality of people's lives. From combatting infectious disease and conducting rigorous program evaluations, to ensuring safe drinking water and promoting access to affordable housing - and more - we partner with clients and communities to tackle their most complex challenges.