Strengthening the Talent Pipeline Ecosystem
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The problem: Providing a skilled talent base is critical to communities pursuing employers. Policymakers want to encourage training that will pay off but may not know how to incentivize the pathways and organizational structures that work for learners and training institutions alike.
Public-private partnerships (PPPs): PPPs can reduce silos in the talent pipeline ecosystem by connecting stakeholder groups to share information and align on goals. Studies on existing and potential regional PPPs have looked at opportunities to develop the sustainability sector, policies and incentives to strengthen the tech workforce, and a STEM initiative in Appalachia.
Strengthening institutions: Working with states like Indiana, Ohio, and Colorado, RAND has supported efforts to design and strengthen innovative credentialing policies, such as short-term credentials, credit transfers, and stackable pathways.
Improving ecosystem alignment: Researchers have analyzed pipeline problems affecting the manufacturing workforce, challenges to recruiting a diverse public sector workforce, and how to better integrate people who are on probation (after a conviction) into the high-wage workforce.
Understanding workforce needs: Researchers have assessed Ohio’s efforts to expand its computer science and technology workforces, considered whether existing apprenticeship programs can meet construction workforce needs, and developed a system dynamics model to understand U.S. needs for health care providers.