Implementation Analysis of 

High Growth Job Training 

Initiative (HGJTI) Programs 

Karin Martinson 

DEMETRA SMITH NIGHTINGALE

LAUREN EYSTER

JOHN TRUTKO

CAROLYN O’BRIEN

KATE CHAMBERS

JUNE 2008 

0 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

The Urban Institute 

Center on Labor, Human 

Services, and Population
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HIGH GROWTH JOB TRAINING

INITIATIVE (HGJTI) PROGRAMS 

Demetra Smith Nightingale1

Lauren Eyster2

John Trutko3

Carolyn O’Brien2

Kate Chambers2

Johns Hopkins University1

The Urban Institute2

Capital Research Corporation3

FINAL REPORT 

June 2008 

The Urban Institute 

2100 M Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20037 

This report was prepared at the Urban Institute for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment 

and Training Administration (ETA). The Urban Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and 

educational organization established in Washington, D.C., in 1968. Views expressed in this report are 

those of the authors and do not represent official positions of DOL or necessarily reflect the views of the 

Institute, its trustees, or its funders. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the six High Growth Job Training Initiative 

grantees, whose staff and partners shared their time and their experiences with us during our site visits. 

We would also like to thank the staff at the Business Relations Group at the U.S. Department of Labor 

Employment and Training Administration (ETA), especially Janet Ugbo, Vivian Luna, and Toni 

Wilson, for providing us with updated information and reports on all the grantees and their progress. 

Finally, the authors thank Jonathan Simonetta and Kevin Culp, our project officers at ETA, for their 

guidance and insight as we wrote this report. 

II CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
CONTENTS

Abstract iv

Executive Summary v

I. Introduction 1

A. Overview of the HGJTI Initiative 1 

B. The HGJTI Evaluation: Status and Future Components 1 

II. The National Initiative 2

A. Overview of the National Initiative 2 

B. Grantee Characteristics 2 

C. Grantee Activities 9 

D. Goals and Outcomes 11 

III. Structure and Implementation of Selected Grantee Projects 13

A. Grantee Organizations and Characteristics 13 

B. Job Training Strategies 24 

C. Capacity-Building Strategies 37 

D. Implementation Issues and Lessons from the Field 43 

IV. Conclusions and Implications 57

A. Summary of Implementation Analysis Findings 57 

B. Next Steps in Evaluation 58 

ATTACHMENT A 59

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS III
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF

HIGH GROWTHJOB TRAINING INITIATIVE (HGJTI) PROGRAMS 

ABSTRACT

The High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI) is a national grants program administered by 

the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Between 2001 

and 2006, more than 150 grants were awarded to establish demand-driven job training and 

related projects designed to meet employer-defined workforce challenges. This report is one of a 

series from the national evaluation of the HGJTI being conducted by the Urban Institute, the 

Institute for Policy Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and Capital Research Corporation. This 

report documents the national initiative and describes the structure and implementation of 

projects implemented by selected grantees. The information presented is based on reviews of 

grantee applications and quarterly reports submitted to ETA, and on field-based site visits to six 

grantees purposively selected to represent a variety of organizations, industry sectors, and 

geographic regions. 

IV CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI) is a national grants program administered by 

the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Between 

2001 and 2006, more than 150 grants were awarded to establish demand-driven job training and 

related projects designed to meet employer-defined workforce challenges. This report is one of a 

series from the national evaluation of the HGJTI being conducted by the Urban Institute, the 

Institute for Policy Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and Capital Research Corporation. This 

report documents the national initiative and describes the structure and implementation of 

projects being implemented by selected grantees. The information presented is based on review 

of grantee applications and quarterly reports submitted to ETA, and on field-based site visits to 

six grantees purposively selected to represent a variety of organizations, industry sectors, and 

geographic regions. 

The National Initiative 

• As of December 31, 2006, 156 grants had been awarded. Of those, 47 percent were still 

active at the beginning of 2007, while the remaining 53 percent had ended. 

• Of the 156 grantees, 21 percent of the grantees were in the health care sector, 21 percent 

in advanced manufacturing, 10 percent in biotechnology, and the remainder in other 

targeted sectors (aerospace, automotive, construction, energy, financial services, 

geospatial technology, hospitality, information technology, retail, and transportation) or 

in non-sector-specific areas (such as Gulf Coast hurricane recovery occupations in 

demand). 

• The average grant awarded was nearly $1.9 million. Nearly all grantees leveraged the 

national funds with other funds and in-kind resources from businesses or other partners, 

with the reported leveraged contributions ranging from $7,000 to $31 million and a 

median of $700,000. 

• About 30 percent of the grantees operate nationwide, which means that workers or 

businesses in every state have access to activities funded by multiple grantees. 

• All grantees report using the grant funds to operate some form of job training, the most 

common types of which are apprenticeships (31 percent of grantees) and internships (16 

percent of grantees). 

• Grantees target their activities to one or more particular populations, the most common of 

which are youth (36 percent of grantees), incumbent workers (35 percent of grantees), 

dislocated workers (23 percent of grantees), and entry-level workers (22 percent of 

grantees). About half the grantees report targeting other “special populations” such as 

ethnic minorities, veterans, or survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

• Nearly all grantees, regardless of industry, report incorporating some capacity-building 

activities into their initiatives. The range is broad and includes developing curriculum, 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS V
career ladders, recruitment efforts, occupational skill certifications, and distance learning 

options. 

• Grantees submit quarterly reports to ETA that include summaries of activities carried out, 

the number of participants trained, and progress toward their stated goals. A review of 

quarterly reports indicates that grantees do not consistently define goals, activities, or 

outcomes. Given the differences in reporting across grantees, it is not possible to report 

activity levels or outcomes at a national aggregate level. 

Structure and Implementation of Projects in Selected Grantees 

To document and assess the implementation of the HGJTI, structured fieldwork was conducted 

in 2007 with the following six grantees: 

• Miami-Dade College (Florida) 

• Columbia Gorge Community College (The Dalles, Oregon) 

• Chicago Women in Trades (Illinois) 

• JobPath, Inc. (Tucson, Arizona) 

• Louisiana Department of Labor 

• Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education/High Plains Technology

Center (Woodward, Oklahoma) 

• These grantees focus on three workforce challenges: (1) insufficient skilled workers for 

certain growth industries; (2) poor employment opportunities for low-skilled and 

disadvantaged workers; and (3) lack of educational or training programs for jobs in an 

industry. All grantees were implementing both training and capacity-building efforts but 

Louisiana was more focused on meeting workforce needs related to the recovery from 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

• Training priorities were paramount in all the grantees. Four of the six grantees were also 

focused on retention (on the job and in training), with five grantees placing high priority 

on improving education and training capacity. Five specifically intended to find and 

attract new pools of workers—including low-income individuals, women, dislocated 

workers, and the unemployed or underemployed. 

• Five of the six grantees visited (except Chicago Women in Trades) offered more than one 

training component. A total of 41 separate training initiatives were funded with HGJTI 

funding across these six sites, 26 of which were contracted under the Louisiana 

Department of Labor grant. 

• While three of the six HGJTI grantees offered long-term training (usually at a community 

college), much of the training is of short duration (80 hours or less). Shorter-term training 

was often meant to elicit workers’ interest in a particular field and to provide basic skills 

VI CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
(and knowledge of safety procedures) that would facilitate entry into a high-growth field. 

Longer-term training could take four years or more to complete because participants 

attended training only part time and sometimes had to transfer to a four-year university to 

complete their degree program. 

• All six grantees engaged in multiple capacity-building efforts, defined as strategies 

designed to expand the quality and quantity of training and education programs for 

workers and to increase the capacity of the workforce in occupations in the targeted 

sectors. Across the grantees, the following types of capacity building are under way: 

• development of outreach materials; 

• design and development of program curricula and instructional materials; 

• creation of career ladders and competency models; 

• development or improvement of credentials, certifications, or degree programs; 

• design or use of new instructional techniques and/or technologies (e.g., Web-based 

learning); 

• expansion of the number of training program “slots”; 

• expansion of the number of certified instructors for particular training or education 

programs; and 

• expansion of training alternatives to access new or untapped labor pools. 

• Most grantees identified multiple challenges and issues to overcome in implementing 

their initiatives. These self-reported challenges or issues included difficulties recruiting 

training participants, lack of experience in federal grants management, turf issues, and 

burdens of securing active cooperation on the part of other organizations that were vital 

to meeting project goals. 

• Key lessons from the grantees’ perspective include the following: 

• Employers are important partners in implementing all aspects of an industry-driven project.

Overwhelmingly, these grantees said that employers were essential to the success of 

their projects by helping secure additional resources, advising and providing feedback 

on curriculum and training program development, recruiting participants, developing 

career awareness in a particular industry, hiring trainees, and/or providing on-the-job 

training or internships. The earlier employers were engaged in project activities, the 

more invested they became in the project. 

• New training technologies should be explored and used to provide better training 

delivery mechanisms. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS VII
VIII CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

• Hiring key project staff with knowledge of the industry and of federal grants could 

make implementation easier. 

• Instructors from industry are needed, but they can be difficult to retain. Some grantees 

were able to entice experienced workers and supervisors to become instructors, but 

some had difficulty hiring enough instructors because the wages provided by 

employers were much higher than the training programs or colleges could offer. 

• Projects need to be flexible to respond to changes in the external environment, 

including rising unemployment rate or delays in firms relocating to a particular labor 

market. 

• Resource and cash contributions, especially from employers, are difficult to secure. 

Grantees often had to seek other sources or rely more heavily on others when some 

partners that promised cash and in-kind contributions as a part of their required match 

in the grant application were then unable to fully live up to that commitment. In 

addition, any changes to the required match by the grantees had to be approved by 

ETA. 

• Having hands-on training components is as important as classroom training. Many 

grantees felt that their on-the-job training, internships, and simulation training were 

important aspects of the success of their training programs. 

Next Steps in Evaluation 

More than 150 grants have been awarded, and projects funded by those grants have mostly been 

completed, although some are still operating. The implementation analysis in this report provides 

insight into the types of evaluations that could be conducted to rigorously estimate the impacts of 

similar projects designed to improve worker skills, meet business skills needs, and improve 

workforce development capacity. A forthcoming report will present the results of a 

nonexperimental statistical analysis of the outcomes of job training provided by selected HGJTI 

grantees, using grantee data on participants and quarterly administrative data on earnings and 

employment from states where the study grantees operate. The nonexperimental analysis will 

provide important information about the outcomes and results of the selected projects. 
I. INTRODUCTION

The High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGTJI) is a major national effort to encourage marketdriven strategic partnerships among the private business sector, educational institutions, and the 

workforce investment system. This report is the second in a series of reports from the national 

evaluation of the HGJTI conducted by the Urban Institute, Johns Hopkins University, and 

Capital Research Corporation. This report documents the national initiative and describes the 

structure and implementation of projects being implemented by selected grantees. 

A. Overview of the HGJTI Initiative 

The HGJTI is one of three grant programs developed by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) 

Employment and Training Administration (ETA) that together intend to encourage marketdriven, demand-focused partnerships between the private business sector and the public sector, 

including the workforce investment system, community colleges, and economic development 

agencies. Since 2001, ETA has awarded more than 150 HGJTI grants to support development of 

industry-driven solutions to meet workforce challenges identified by employers. The grantee 

efforts provide a rich source of information about various models and approaches that can be 

used to meet a key national goal of expanding the skilled workforce needed by high-growth and 

high-demand economic sectors. Grantees have used the funds to implement various capacitybuilding strategies, such as developing new curricula and materials for training workers for highdemand occupations, increasing the number of appropriately qualified instructors, using new 

communication technology (e.g., Web-based learning) to improve knowledge about industry and 

occupational demand, and operating occupation-specific job training projects. As of December 

31, 2006, a little more than half of the grants had ended. 

B. The HGJTI Evaluation: Status and Future Components 

The Urban Institute, with its partners Johns Hopkins University and Capital Research 

Corporation, is conducting the national evaluation of HGJTI. This evaluation has two major 

components: an implementation analysis and an analysis of early outcomes and impacts of 

training in six grant programs. The first report on the implementation and sustainability of 20 

early HGJTI grants was released in June 2007. This report presents a second, more in-depth 

implementation analysis. The third report (forthcoming in early 2009) will analyze the early 

outcomes of job training in six grant programs. 

The information presented in this report is based on review of grantee applications and 

quarterly reports submitted to ETA, and on field-based site visits to six grantees purposively 

selected to represent organizations, industry sectors, and geographic regions. Chapter II provides 

an overview of the national HGJTI and a summary of the general characteristics and funding of 

all grantees, based on ETA reporting data as of December 31, 2006. Chapter III describes the six 

selected grantees by the types of projects and activities they developed with grant funds, the 

partnerships involved, and the job training and capacity-building efforts in which they engaged. 

Finally, Chapter IV provides conclusions about the implementation of the HGJTI grants and next 

steps in the evaluation. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 1 
2 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

II. THE NATIONAL INITIATIVE

This section provides an overview of the national HGJTI and a description of the key 

characteristics of the grants funded as of December 31, 2006. 

A. Overview of the National Initiative 

Since 2001, more than 150 HGJTI grants have been awarded by ETA to support the development 

of industry-driven solutions to meet workforce challenges identified by employers and industries. 

The grantee efforts provide a rich source of information about various models and approaches 

that can be used to meet a key national goal of expanding the skilled workforce needed by highgrowth and high-demand economic sectors. Most of the earliest grants awarded have ended, but 

many were still active as of the end of 2006.1

Grantees can use the funds to implement various activities, including job training and 

capacity-building strategies, such as developing new curricula and materials for training workers 

for high-demand occupations, increasing the number of appropriately qualified instructors, using 

new technology (e.g., Web-based learning) to improve knowledge about industry and 

occupational demand, or operating occupation-specific job training projects. 

Each grantee is required to submit quarterly progress reports to ETA summarizing the 

status of grant-funded efforts, including training and capacity-building activities. This section 

profiles the HGJTI grantees and their projects, based on the grantees’ quarterly reports and their 

initial grant applications to ETA. The grantees are described according to industry sector, 

organization type, geographic region, and the funding levels received. The different capacitybuilding activities conducted by grantees and the target populations for training are also 

described. The section concludes with a discussion of the goals and outcomes reported by 

grantees. 

B. Grantee Characteristics 

Grantee organizations were specifically awarded HGJTI grants because they intended to focus 

their job training and capacity-building efforts on targeted high-growth industry sectors and their 

approaches were considered unique or innovative by ETA. This section summarizes the number 

of grantees and the general characteristics of all the grants awarded from 2001 through 2006. 

 

1

 For more information on early implementation experiences of the HGJTI grants, see John Trutko, Carolyn 

O’Brien, Pamela Holcomb, and Demetra Smith Nightingale, Implementation and Sustainability: Emerging Lessons 

from the Early High Growth Job Training Initiative (HGJTI) Grants (Washington, DC: The Urban Institute, 2007), 

available at http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/keyword.cfm?fuseaction=dsp_resultDetails&pub_id=2344&mp=y.
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 3 

CHART 2.1: GRANTS AWARDED BY YEAR

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Number of grants awarded

S

A majority of 

grantees come from three 

industries: health care, 

advanced manufacturing, 

and biotechnology. As 

shown in table 2.1, these 

three industries account for 

53 percent of all grantees 

(21, 21, and 10 percent, 

respectively). Awards in the 

automotive industry and 

those that are non-sector specific each make up 7 percent of the grants, and the construction 

industry makes up 6 percent of the grants. Each of the remaining industries is less

OURCE: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS

rants 

awarded. 

 than 5 percent 

of the grants. 

.1: INDUSTRY DISTRIBUTION EES 

Industry Distribution 

As of December 31, 2006, 156 grants had been awarded.2 Of those, 47 percent were still active 

at the beginning of 2007, while the remaining 53 percent had ended. The number of grants 

funded peaked in 2004, as shown in chart 2.1, when 62 grants were awarded, accounting for 41 

percent of all g

TABLE 2 OF HGJTI GRANT

Industry Number of Grantees Percent of Grantees 

Advanced manufacturing 33 21 

Aerospace 7 4 

Automotive 11 7 

Biotechnology 16 10 

Construction 9 6 

Energy 11 7 

Financial services 5 3 

Geospatial technology 6 4 

Health care 33 21 

Hospitality 4 3 

Information technology 3 2 

Non-sector specific 11 7 

Retail trade 3 2 

Transportation 4 3 

Total 156 100 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

 

2

 In two instances, ETA awarded multiple grants under a particular initiative. These two cases are (1) the Health 

Corporation of America Cares, in which four grants were awarded to the Colorado Department of Labor and 

Employment, the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, the Georgia Department of Labor, and the Texas 

Workforce Commission; and (2) the National Center for Integrated Systems Technology, in which two grants were 

awarded to the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. 

We consider each grant award as a separate case in our analysis. 
4 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

Table 2.2 displays the proportion of grants awarded each year by industry. The earliest grant was 

in the aerospace sector in 2001, and the most recent awards were in financial services, energy, 

and advanced manufacturing. Of the grants awarded in 2002, 31 percent were in the health 

industry and 31 percent were non-sector specific. In 2003, the grants were more evenly 

distributed among nine industries, while in 2004, 32 percent of grants awarded were in the health 

care industry, 16 percent in advanced manufacturing, 15 percent in automotive, and 15 percent in 

TABLE 2.2: HGJTI GRANTS AWARDED BY YEAR AND BY INDUSTRY 

Percent of Grantees 

Industry 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 

Advanced manufacturing 0 23 8 16 15 48 

Aerospace 100 0 8 6 3 0 

Automotive 0 8 0 15 3 0 

Biotechnology 0 0 8 15 15 0 

Construction 0 0 0 11 5 0 

Energy 0 0 17 0 5 28 

Financial services 0 0 0 0 0 12 

Geospatial technology 0 0 8 5 5 0 

Health care 0 31 17 32 18 0 

Hospitality 0 8 0 0 8 0 

Information technology 0 0 8 0 5 0 

Non-sector specific 0 31 8 0 13 0 

Retail trade 0 0 17 0 3 0 

Transportation 0 0 0 0 3 12 

All industries 100 100 100 100 100 100 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

biotechnology. In 2005, grants were also spread fairly evenly over 13 industries, with the health 

care industry receiving 18 percent of all grants and the biotechnology and advanced 

manufacturing industries receiving 15 percent of the total grants each. In 2006, 48 percent of all 

grants awarded were in the advanced manufacturing industry. 

Funding 

Grants awarded by ETA ranged from 

$60,000 to $12 million, with the average 

grantee receiving nearly $1.9 million. Chart 

2.2 shows the proportion of grantees that 

fall within different ranges of grant 

amounts. The highest proportion of 

grantees (32 percent) are in range of $1 

million to under $2 million awarded, while 

10 percent of grantees received a grant of 

$4 million or more. The construction and 

advanced manufacturing industries made up 

a little over half of all grantees that received 

$4 million or more. 

Less than 

$500,000

16%

$500,000 - 

$999,999

14%

$1,000,000 - 

$1,999,999

32%

$2,000,000 - 

$3,999,999

28%

$4,000,000 or 

more

10%

SOURCE: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND QUARTERY REPORTS

CHART 2.2: PERCENTAGE OF GRANTEES BY AMOUNT AWARDED
Table 2.3 displays grant amounts by industry. Over half of all grants awarded to the construction, 

advanced manufacturing, energy, information technology, non-sector, retail trade, and 

transportation industries are over $2 million. In addition, over half the automotive, financial 

services, and geospatial technology industries grants were less than $1 million. 

TABLE 2.3: GRANT AMOUNTS BY INDUSTRY 

Percent of Grantees 

Industry 

Less than 

$500,000 

$500,000– 

$999,999 

$1,000,000– 

$1,999,999 

$2,000,000– 

$3,999,999 

$4,000,000 

or more 

Advanced manufacturing 3 3 50 31 13 

Aerospace 29 0 57 0 14 

Automotive 45 27 9 9 9 

Biotechnology 19 25 25 25 6 

Construction 11 0 11 33 44 

Energy 9 9 9 64 9 

Financial services 33 33 0 33 0 

Geospatial technology 17 33 33 17 0 

Health care 18 21 42 12 6 

Hospitality 25 25 50 0 0 

Information technology 0 0 33 67 0 

Non-sector specific 20 10 10 50 10 

Retail trade 33 0 0 33 33 

Transportation 0 0 25 75 0 

All industries 16 14 32 28 10 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

Grantees were encouraged to use the federal funds to leverage other public and private 

resources to address workforce challenges, and almost all grantees reported some leveraged 

resources. Ninety-two percent of grantees reported that they brought together leveraged 

resources, ranging from $7,000 to $31 million, with the average amount a little more than $2 

million. The median amount leveraged was about $700,000, with the $2 million average driven 

up by the 25 percent of all grantees who received leveraged resources above the mean. Table 2.4 

displays leveraged grant amounts by industry. The transportation industry grantees were more 

likely to have leveraged resources of $4 million or more, and a majority of the grantees in 

transportation, information technology, and retail trade industries have leveraged amounts of $2 

million or more. The leveraged amounts were less than $500,000 for grantees in financial 

services, biotechnology, geospatial technology, hospitality, and non-sector specific industries. 

Leveraged resources were provided by grantees or their partners as either cash donations 

or in-kind contributions (e.g., equipment, training facilities, and instructors). The data also 

indicate that leveraged funds came from various sources, including educational institutions, 

businesses and employers, foundations, governments, industry associations, nonprofit 

organizations, and the grantees themselves. However, many grantees did not provide specific 

information on the types of contributions and sources from which leveraged resources were 

obtained, and it cannot be systematically reported. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 5 
TABLE 2.4: LEVERAGED GRANT AMOUNTS BY INDUSTRY 

Percent of Grantees 

Industry 

Less than 

$500,000 

$500,000– 

$999,999 

$1,000,000– 

$1,999,999 

$2,000,000– 

$3,999,999 

$4,000,000 or 

more 

Advanced manufacturing 13 13 35 19 19 

Aerospace 43 29 29 0 0 

Automotive 45 0 18 27 9 

Biotechnology 50 31 13 0 6 

Construction 22 33 22 11 11 

Energy 36 36 9 9 9 

Financial services 100 0 0 0 0 

Geospatial technology 50 17 17 0 17 

Health care 33 36 18 6 6 

Hospitality 50 0 25 0 25 

Information technology 33 0 0 67 0 

Non-sector specific 67 17 0 17 0 

Retail trade 33 0 0 33 33 

Transportation 0 0 0 25 75 

All industries 13 13 35 19 19 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

Organization Type 

Table 2.5 shows the percent of HGJTI grantees by their organization type. One-fifth of all 

grantees are an industry group or association, followed by community colleges (17 percent), 

nonprofit training providers (11 percent), and state workforce agencies (10 percent). 

TABLE 2.5: ORGANIZATION TYPE OF HGJTI GRANTEES 

Organizational Type Percent of Grantees 

Community college 17 

Economic development agency 5 

Employer 4 

Faith-based organization 1 

Industry group/association 20 

Local workforce investment board 9 

National nonprofit 4 

Nonprofit training provider 11 

Other 3 

Other government 4 

State workforce investment board 3 

State workforce agency 10 

Union 1 

University 8 

Total 100 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

The majority of grantees are nonprofit or public organizations; 49 percent of grantees are 

nonprofit, 46 percent are public, and 5 percent are for-profit entities. Of the nonprofit grantees, 

28 percent are industry groups or associations, 19 percent are nonprofit training providers, and 

6 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 7 

12 percent are community colleges. Of public grantees, 26 percent are community colleges, 19 

percent are state workforce agencies, and 16 percent are local workforce investment boards. 

Length of Grant 

The grants lasted between 

six months and five years. 

Chart 2.3 displays the 

proportion of grantees by 

length of the grant. The 

median length of a grant is 

two years, including some 

grantees that requested and 

received extensions. Fortyseven percent of grantees 

had grants ranging from 1.1 

to two years, 36 percent of 

grantees had grants for 2.1 

to three years, while 11 

percent of grantees had 

grants lasting a year or less. 

About 5 percent of grantees 

had grants covering 3.1 to four years in duration, and less than one percent of grantees had a 

grant lasting longer than four years. 

Chart 2.4 displays the average length of grant by industry. The information technology 

industry has the longest average grant length at 3.7 years, while grantees that are not sectorspecific have the shortest grant period of 1.6 years. The average length of grant across all 

industries is 2.2 years. 

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Advanced Manufacturing

Aerospace

Automotive

Biotechnology

Construction

Energy

Financial Services

Geospatial

Health Care

Hospitality

Information Technology

Non-Sector

Retail Trade

Transportation

All Industries

years

CHART 2.4: AVERAGE LENGTH OF GRANT BY INDUSTRY

SOURCE: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS

1 year or less

1.1 to 2 years

2.1 to 3 years

3.1 to 4 years

More than 4 years

SOURCE: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND QUARTERLY REPORTS

CHART 2.3: PERCENTAGE OF GRANTEES BY LENGTH OF GRANT
Geographic Distribution 

While some grantees focus on specific communities, others operate in multiple communities 

within a state, and several operate in more than one state. The number of states involved in grant 

activities ranges from one to 51 (including the District of Columbia). In fact, 30 percent of all 

grantees report that their activities occur in more than one state or nationwide. The regional and 

cross-state scope of many grantees may, for example, reflect an industry focus or a labor-market 

focus, where labor markets cross state lines. The majority of the programs that report they 

operate nationwide do so through Web site information, public education, and outreach, to which 

users in all states have access. Of those grantees that report activities in all 50 states plus the 

District of Columbia, 25 percent are in the automobile industry, while the remainder is spread 

across the advanced manufacturing, construction, energy, hospitality, non-sector specific, retail, 

and transportation industries. 

Since many grantees have a national focus, every state, including the District of 

Columbia, has access to at least 16 grantees’ activities. Eight states have access to activities of 

more than 16 grantees: Delaware, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, 

West Virginia, and Texas (which has access to activities of 38 grantees). Again, note that this 

includes “access” to some grantees for which the primary purpose is to garner exposure of their 

industry’s or organization’s career options through Web site development. Chart 2.5 displays all 

states based on the number of grantees providing some activities available to workers, computer 

users, or businesses in the state. 

CHART 2.5: ACCESS TO HGJTI GRANTEE ACTIVITIES BY STATE 

 

Number of Grantees Active in State

 Less than 20 grantees with activities 

 20 to 29 grantees with activities 

 30 or more grantees with activities 

8 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
C. Grantee Activities 

As noted earlier, grantees can use the HGJTI funds for a range of activities designed to address 

the goals and purposes as defined by the partnering industries or employers. According to the 

ETA guidelines, these activities can include both planning and implementing capacity-building 

and training efforts. Later chapters describe how selected grantees define capacity building and 

training and document the specific operational implementation of these different activities. Since 

each grant application and quarterly report summarized how grantees are using the funds, this 

section provides a general overview of all HGJTI grantee activities developed with grant funds. 

Training Activities and Targeted Populations 

In their quarterly reports to ETA, all grantees report using grant funds to operate some form of 

job training, the most common types of which are apprenticeships and internships. Table 2.7 

shows that 16 percent of all grantees report that they offer an apprenticeship program, with most 

of these grantees in the advanced manufacturing, construction, health care, and transportation 

industries. Twenty-six grantees (16 percent) report offering internships, with the majority of 

these grantees in the automotive, biotechnology, and information technology industries. 

TABLE 2.7: INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS OFFERED BY HGJTI GRANTEES, BY INDUSTRY 

Percent of Grantees 

Industry Offers Apprenticeships Offers Internships 

Advanced manufacturing 24 15 

Aerospace 0 0 

Automotive 0 36 

Biotechnology 6 50 

Construction 44 0 

Energy 18 18 

Financial services 0 0 

Geospatial technology 17 17 

Health care 12 12 

Hospitality 0 25 

Information technology 67 33 

Non-sector specific 0 0 

Retail trade 0 0 

Transportation 75 0 

All industries 16 16 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

Grantees also report on the populations they target or serve. As shown in table 2.8, 36 

percent of all grantees provide youth-targeted training, and 35 percent target incumbent workers. 

Grantees in the financial services industry are more likely than other sectors to target training on 

youth, while grantees in the hospitality industry are much more likely than other sectors to target 

their training toward entry-level workers (50 percent). Thirty-four percent of grantees report that 

they target special populations, as opposed to dislocated, entry-level, or incumbent workers as 

well as youth. This category is wide ranging and includes such populations as ethnic minorities 

(Hispanic), hurricane survivors, and war veterans. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 9 
TABLE 2.8: TARGETED POPULATIONS TARGETED BY HGJTI GRANTEES, BY INDUSTRY 

Percent of Grantees 

Industry 

Dislocated 

Workers 

Entry-level 

Workers 

Incumbent 

Workers 

Special 

Populations Youth 

Advanced manufacturing 21 21 42 17 45 

Aerospace 29 29 57 43 43 

Automotive 9 0 36 50 55 

Biotechnology 31 31 38 20 38 

Construction 33 33 33 22 56 

Energy 18 27 36 45 27 

Financial services 20 20 40 40 60 

Geospatial technology 33 0 0 33 33 

Health care 26 29 38 38 24 

Hospitality 0 50 50 75 50 

Information technology 33 0 33 50 0 

Non-sector specific 17 8 8 57 25 

Retail trade 0 0 0 0 0 

Transportation 25 25 50 50 25 

All industries 23 22 35 34 36 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

Capacity-Building Activities 

In their quarterly reports to ETA, grantees also summarize the different activities they are 

implementing. Ninety-one percent of grantees report implementing some form of capacity 

building, regardless of industry. Grantees in the financial services and non-sector specific 

industries are somewhat less likely than grantees in other sectors to conduct capacity-building 

activities (20 and 58 percent, respectively). Table 2.9 displays the different capacity-building 

activities being implemented or operated by industry. A majority of grantees (59 percent) are 

developing curriculum. Thirty-eight percent of grantees are designing career ladders, 33 percent 

are developing recruitment efforts, and 28 percent are developing occupational skill 

certifications. About 20 percent of grantees are developing distance learning programs. 

10 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
TABLE 2.9: CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES AMONG HGJTI GRANTEES, BY INDUSTRY 

Percent of Grantees 

Industry 

Certification 

Development 

Career 

Ladders 

Curriculum 

Development 

Distance 

Learning Recruitment 

Train 

the 

Trainer 

Web Site 

Development 

Advanced 

manufacturing 42 45 82 21 30 30 24 

Aerospace 29 29 29 29 57 14 29 

Automotive 36 27 55 18 36 18 45 

Biotechnology 38 63 69 19 25 38 25 

Construction 0 22 78 11 44 33 22 

Energy 36 27 64 9 18 9 18 

Financial services 20 0 40 0 0 0 0 

Geospatial 

technology 17 33 67 50 17 50 33 

Health care 15 38 50 29 47 26 26 

Hospitality 25 0 50 0 25 25 25 

Information 

technology 67 33 33 33 67 33 0 

Non-sector 

specific 17 25 17 0 8 0 8 

Retail trade 0 67 100 0 67 67 0 

Transportation 50 50 50 50 25 0 50 

All industries 28 38 59 20 33 25 24 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS AND GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS. 

D. Goals and Outcomes 

Grantees also submit in their quarterly reports to ETA summaries of the activities carried out, the 

number of participants trained, and progress toward their stated goals. A review of the quarterly 

reports indicates that grantees do not consistently define their goals, activities, or outcomes, but 

that instead the reports are generally based on the activities and milestones described in the 

grantees’ statement of work. Several data items are not reported by many grantees. In addition, 

some grantees report quantitative goals and accomplishments, while others report more 

qualitatively. For example, of all programs that have capacity-building goals, only 40 percent 

quantitatively describe the type of result they hope to achieve. One grantee described a capacitybuilding goal in a quantitative sense by stating it would “develop six competency-based 

apprenticeship programs.” In comparison, another grantee stated it would “enhance the existing 

integrated systems technology apprenticeship model.” These differences in reporting across 

grantees make it difficult to report activity levels or outcomes at a national aggregate level. Still, 

it is useful to summarize what the grantees have reported about their goals and accomplishments 

to obtain a general sense of activities to date. 

Training is the most commonly specified goal for which grantees report activity levels 

and outcomes. Of all grantees, 91 percent have specified some form of training goal as at least 

one objective for their grant effort. Of those, 98 percent have reported a goal for the number of 

participants they expect to train, with the number ranging across grantees from five to 13,160 

trainees. Completion and placement rates are reported in a number of ways, though, with 

considerable variation across grantees. Of the grantees that specify a training goal, about 38 

percent report their training and/or placement outcomes, but various calculations and definitions 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 11 
12 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

are used. For example, training activity may be calculated as “number of persons completing 

training/number of trainees” or “number of trainees/goal.” Placements might be reported as 

“number of participants placed in jobs or higher education/number of participants enrolled,” but 

some grantees report the number or percentage of participants they anticipate completing the 

program or the number or percentage of participants that the grantee predicts will be placed in 

jobs within a specified period. Some grantees also report additional activity information about 

their services to particular types of participants they have targeted to enroll in their programs. 

As summarized in this chapter, the national HGJTI grant program covers a wide range of 

grantees, industries, and activities. Of the grants awarded thus far, activities are being carried out 

in all states and every region of the nation. The activities range from primarily online industry or 

skills information for occupational exploration to more traditional job training. Nearly all 

grantees report that they are using the grant for training and capacity building. The inconsistency 

in reporting to ETA does not allow researchers to calculate the level of activities in either 

category, although the types of activities offered are fairly clear. The most common types of 

training are reportedly apprenticeships and internships. Grantees also are targeting a wide range 

of population groups, and the most common focus of training is youth and incumbent workers. 

The most common types of capacity-building efforts involve developing curricula and designing 

career ladders. 

The following chapter provides more detail on the types of activities being implemented 

by grantees and the lessons they have learned based on site visits to six grantees. 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 13 

III. STRUCTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SELECTED GRANTEE PROJECTS

To document and assess the implementation of the HGJTI, structured fieldwork was conducted 

in 2007 to six grantees. The focus of the site visits was to document the activities supported with 

the grant funds, the specific objectives that guide the activities implemented, the nature of 

activities conducted and products developed, and the partnerships involved. The intent was to 

describe the structure and implementation of the selected HGJTI grantees to identify common 

trends and patterns across all sectors and identify implementation trends, considerations, and 

issues unique to one sector or type of grantee. The fieldwork also was designed to allow the 

evaluation team to consider appropriate rigorous evaluation designs that could be conducted in 

the future to precisely measure impacts and effectiveness. To add to the data collected during the 

site visits, findings from the first report for this study of HGJTI, which examined early 

implementation experiences of 20 grantees, are incorporated in several areas of this chapter.3

This chapter presents the descriptive findings from the implementation study, and the 

following chapter considers the potential for future rigorous evaluations of impacts. The first 

section identifies and describes the general characteristics of the study grantees. This is followed 

by sections that document the different types of job training implemented and the various 

capacity-building activities. Then, the overall status of implementation as of mid-2007 is 

discussed, including the partnerships established, systems changes introduced, and plans for 

post-grant sustainability. 

A. Grantee Organizations and Characteristics 

The six grantees selected for the in-depth study represent varied organizations, industries, and 

regions of the country. 

Grantee Organizations 

To better understand how various organizations may be involved in developing and 

implementing demand-driven workforce initiatives, six grantees were purposively selected to 

represent different types of organizations and different industry emphases. The six grantees 

selected for this implementation study represent postsecondary education, community-based 

nonprofit organizations, and government agencies—all key partners in meeting state and local 

workforce demands. The six grantees selected are: 

• Miami-Dade College (MDC)—A postsecondary educational institution in a large 

metropolitan area 

• Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC)—A postsecondary educational 

institution in a rural area 

• Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT)—A community-based nonprofit organization in a 

large metropolitan area 

 

3

 See Trutko et al. (2007). 
14 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

• JobPath Inc.—A community-based nonprofit organization in a smaller metropolitan 

area 

• Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL)—A state workforce agency 

• Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE)/High Plains 

Technology Center (HPTC)4—A training technology center in collaboration with a 

state career and technology education agency 

These grantees are generally representative of the overall group of grantees, as described 

in the previous chapter. Some of these grantees are small organizations—such as CWIT and 

JobPath—with small staffs and overall operating budgets, while the state agencies have 

thousands of employees and hundreds of millions of dollars in annual operating budgets. Some 

grantees have prior experience providing direct education and training instruction to 

individuals—the educational institutions and HPTC—while others oversee extensive training in 

postsecondary education systems. These grantee organizations are also located in six different 

states—Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Oregon—which were selected for 

their regional diversity. Details on the selected grantee organizations are presented in table 3.1. 

TABLE 3.1: CHARACTERISTICS OF SELECTED GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS 

Grantee Organization 

Type of 

Organization Service Area 

Most Recent 

Annual 

Operating 

Budget Staff Size Services 

Chicago Women in 

Trades (CWIT) 

Community-based 

nonprofit 

organization 

Chicago 

metropolitan area 

(Illinois) 

$1,192,898 ~10 staff Serves as a pre-apprenticeship 

program to get women into the 

construction trades 

Columbia Gorge 

Community College 

(CGCC) 

Postsecondary 

educational 

institution (two-year) 

Mid-Columbia 

region 

(north central 

Oregon) 

$46,187,074 ~100 

employees 

Offers two-year associate’s 

degrees in criminal justice and 

health care, among other things 

JobPath Inc. Community-based 

nonprofit 

organization 

Tucson 

metropolitan area 

(southern Arizona) 

$511,616 7 staff Operates and supports job 

training programs for low-income 

individuals 

Louisiana Department 

of Labor (LDOL) 

State workforce 

agency 

State of Louisiana $258,608,416 Not 

available 

Operates the state’s workforce 

system 

Miami-Dade College 

(MDC) 

Postsecondary 

educational 

institution (four-year) 

Miami-Dade 

metropolitan area 

(southern Florida) 

$694,585,686 5,000+ 

employees 

Provides mostly two-year 

associate’s degree programs and 

some four-year baccalaureate 

degree programs 

Oklahoma Department 

of Career & Technology 

Education (ODCTE)/ 

High Plains Technology 

Center (HPTC) 

State technical 

education 

agency/secondary 

and postsecondary 

training provider 

State of Oklahoma $436,801,014 2,609 

teachers 

and staff/55 

staff 

Operates the CareerTech system 

in Oklahoma 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

 

4

 For this site, HPTC is the organization of reference. While HPTC received the first HGJTI grant for this project, 

the ODCTE, the umbrella agency of HPTC and 28 other technology centers, received the second grant. HPTC, 

however, has conducted the training and capacity-building activities for this project, while ODCTE has served as the 

administrator of the second grant and was not involved in training or other direct activities. 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 15 

Workforce Challenges Addressed by Grants 

The six grantee organizations were focusing on both job training and capacity-building 

objectives, but each had specific workforce challenges unique to their state or locality that they 

were attempting to address with projects implemented using the federal grant funds. The three 

main workforce challenges grantee staff discussed are: (1) increasing the number of skilled 

workers; (2) improving opportunities for low-wage workers to move up in the job market; (3) 

and expanding or developing training projects for particular industries or occupations. Grantees 

attempted to identify their workforce challenges in various ways, using data, surveys, and 

discussions with industry partners. The following are specific details on the main workforce 

challenges grantees faced. 

1) Insufficient skilled workers for a growing industry. A common workforce challenge for 

employers in some industries is that they have difficulty finding enough appropriately skilled 

workers for certain jobs. This may be a particular problem for employers in high-growth 

industries, such as health care and biotechnology. Local and state workforce partners may also 

have difficulty overcoming a lack of skilled workers for available jobs in less populated regions 

with few job training resources. 

In developing their applications for a HGJTI grant, many of the six grantee organizations 

explained that they had scanned local workforce needs for the industry on which they wanted to 

focus.5

 For example, CGCC administered multiple surveys of regional health care providers to 

determine the specific number of certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and 

registered nurses needed in the regional workforce. Similarly, MDC surveyed biotechnology 

companies to forecast how many industrial pharmaceutical manufacturing technicians were 

needed in the coming years. 

Other grantees analyzed labor market information to better understand the skills of their 

current workforce and the types of training or capacity-building efforts needed to improve skills 

to meet industry demands. HPTC examined employment and wage data in the oil and gas 

industry to understand how the industry was growing and was projected to grow in the future and 

determined what career paths were possible for entry-level workers such as floor hands.6

 

2) Poor employment opportunities for low-wage and other disadvantaged workers.

Some grantees decided to target high-skills training to lower-wage workers and other 

disadvantaged populations. For JobPath, serving low-income individuals was part of its overall 

mission, and attracting and training these individuals for biotechnology jobs, which provide a 

living wage and more, fit with the organization’s broader purpose (see box 3.1 for more details). 

LDOL was simultaneously facing high unemployment along with business disruption and 

increasing demand for workers after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The state’s grant was used to 

improve employment opportunities statewide through cross-sectoral training strategies for 

particular high-growth industries critical to the recovery effort, such as construction, health care, 

and shipping. CWIT targeted low-income women, mostly African American, to bring them as 

 

5

 In most cases, grantees had to conduct an industry scan as a part of their application for an HGJTI grant. 

6

 Floor hands—also referred to as rotary-driller helpers, roughnecks, roustabouts, or general laborers—guide the 

lower ends of pipe to well openings, connect pipe joints and drill bits, and do general oilfield maintenance and 

construction work. 
new workers into the construction trades where high-paying jobs were available. MDC also saw 

an opportunity to train low-income Miami-Dade residents for employment and promotion in the 

biotechnology industry. 

Box 3.1 

JobPath Workforce Challenge: Finding Meaningful Employment for Low-Income Residents 

JobPath, Inc, a nonprofit workforce development program, sponsors underemployed, underskilled, or 

unemployed adults in obtaining long-term training, career counseling and mentorships for “good jobs” 

with benefits. The organization helps to develop career paths for workers in Pima County, Arizona, 

described by project staff as a “low-wage” area. Before receipt of the grant, JobPath was providing 

recruitment, evaluation, and enrollment services for programs in several sectors (e.g., early childhood 

education, trades, aviation) as part of its organizational mission. Its service model includes training plan 

development; peer support meetings; counseling; financial assistance for tuition, books, fees, supplies and 

emergencies; and referrals to other agencies. A similar program for biotechnology was added in response 

to statewide interest in focusing on new opportunities for growth in the biotechnology sector. 

3) Lack of educational or training programs for jobs in an industry. All six grantees 

realized that there were not enough training or education programs in their local areas for 

particular high-growth jobs. To increase the number of skilled workers, staff reported that they 

first had to increase the availability of training. CGCC saw an opportunity to train and keep 

residents in their rural region by developing a health occupations program that could operate 

locally. The closest health education programs were at least two hours away, and residents had to 

move away from the community to receive training. This meant that many residents ended up 

with jobs in the labor market where they received training and did not return to the midColumbia region. Thus, the new health occupations program was intended to train and employ 

workers without them having to leave the region. JobPath saw the grant as a way to expand 

postsecondary training for the local community college’s biotechnology program. MDC and 

HPTC developed new training programs to address the training needs of new and incumbent 

workers in the biotechnology and oil and gas industries, respectively. JobPath worked with Pima 

Community College to develop an introduction to biotechnology course as a prerequisite to the 

program and offer internships with local biotechnology employers for credit. CWIT also 

expanded its pre-apprenticeship training program to new community colleges to reach more lowincome women and recruit them into the trades. 

Grantee Goals and Priorities 

Grantee staff in all six sites were asked to discuss their goals for their HGJTI-funded projects. In 

general, the goals encompassed the training and capacity-building activities proposed and 

defined the outcomes expected. The grantees’ goals for their projects changed minimally, if at 

all, during their grant period. Table 3.2 summarizes the goals. 

All grantees visited were primarily focused on training new and incumbent workers as a 

part of their training efforts. However, four grantees also focused on job retention and retention 

in training programs. For example, CGCC staff noted that retention was a workforce challenge 

16 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 17 

for local health care facilities and that by training and employing workers locally, they would 

stay in the area and with their new employer. Retention was also a focus of the MDC grant and 

was one of the outcomes routinely monitored by grantee staff. 

Building and improving education and training capacity was also a major goal for all 

grantees visited except LDOL, which focused more on immediate employment needs in the 

recovery area. Five of the six grantees also wanted to find and attract new pools of workers—

including low-income individuals, women, dislocated workers, and the unemployed or 

underemployed. Grantees such as JobPath and MDC worked with local high schools to attract 

youth to these industries. These five grantees also planned to develop new or build existing 

partnerships through their grant activities. For example, HPTC wanted to develop partnerships 

with a large number of employers, while grantees such as MDC and JobPath wanted to cultivate 

partnerships with a few highly involved businesses. Four grantees placed priority on developing 

career ladders either directly (CGCC and HPTC) or by creating another “rung” in the career 

ladder (JobPath and MDC). LDOL’s top goal was to rebuild the workforce and the economy. 

The first report on 20 early HGJTI implementers similarly found that most grantees (13 

of 20) had both training and capacity-building goals.7

 For example, those projects had capacitybuilding goals aimed at implementing strategies to improve the quality and quantity of workforce 

training and education, including: developing and designing new demand-driven training and 

education curricula and materials; establishing new partnerships and networks among businesses, 

public systems, training educators, and deliverers of training; using new communication 

mechanisms such as the Internet to deliver information and training; and expanding the number 

and quality of training programs for the targeted sectors. 

TABLE 3.2: TRAINING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING GOALS OF SELECTED GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS 

Training Goals Capacity-Building Goals 

HGJTI grantee 

Train New 

and 

Incumbent 

Workers 

Increase 

Retention 

Build or Improve 

Education and 

Training Capacity 

Access 

New 

Labor 

Pools 

Develop or 

Expand 

Partnerships 

Create a 

Career 

Ladder 

Rebuild 

Workforce 

and 

Economy 

Chicago Women 

in Trades 9 9 9 9

Columbia Gorge 

Community 

College 

9 9 9 9 9 9

High Plains 

Technology 

Center 

9 9 9 9 9

JobPath, Inc. 9 9 9 9 9 9

Louisiana 

Department of 

Labor 

9 9 9

Miami-Dade 

College 9 9 9 9 9 9

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

 

7 See exhibit 1 in Trutko et al. (2007). 
Industry and Occupational Focus of the HGJTI Grantees 

The six grantees focused on different high-growth industries—health care, biotechnology, 

energy, construction, and non-sector specific—based on their labor-market assessments and 

workforce challenges. While the industries are different, the main reason grantee staff gave for 

selecting them was that the sector had potential for career paths to lead to higher-paying jobs for 

workers and at the same time would meet employers’ stated demand for more skilled workers. In 

the first HGJTI report, the selected 20 grantees focused initiatives on several of the same and 

additional high-growth industry sectors, including advanced manufacturing (4), health care (4), 

biotechnology (2), automotive (2), aerospace (2), energy (2), construction (1), geospatial (1), 

retail (1), and cross-sector (1). 

Health care. CGCC was one of 34 HGJTI grantees (21 percent of all grantees) that 

focused on the health care sector. The training program developed by CGCC trains for 

occupations in demand as defined by the local hospitals and long-term care facilities in the 

region, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, 

certified medical assistants, emergency medical technicians, and emergency first responders. The 

hospitals and facilities are located in both Oregon and Washington, and CGCC did a regional 

survey to quantify this need. As there was no postsecondary education institution in the region 

with a health occupations program, CGCC staff felt that they would be serving both the 

employers and the residents of the mid-Columbia region by providing good jobs and expanding 

the supply of qualified workers for local employers. The health care jobs in the region pay a 

starting salary of approximately $20,000 a year for a certified nursing assistant and upwards of 

$70,000 a year for a registered nurse with a bachelor’s of science in nursing. 

Biotechnology. Both JobPath and MDC used their HGJTI grants to focus on the 

biotechnology sector. They were two of 16 HGJTI biotechnology grantees. For JobPath, 

targeting the Tucson area’s growing biotechnology sector made sense as its mission is to help 

low-income individuals find gainful employment with a combination of training and supportive 

services. Grantee staff described Tucson as a “low-wage town” with a “20 percent poverty rate.” 

Thus, JobPath began working with Pima Community College, which had started a biotechnology 

certificate program with the help of a state foundation based on projected new hires of 27,000 

over the next 10 years, to support individuals going through the program. 

Similar growth predictions were projected for jobs in the biosciences sector in the MiamiDade area, and MDC had initiated a biotechnology associate’s degree and certificate program 

using a U.S. Department of Education grant at the same time it applied for the HGJTI grant. The 

HGJTI grant was used to fund incumbent worker training for local industrial pharmaceutical 

manufacturers to complement the for-credit college program. 

Energy. The HPTC project was funded through two HGJTI grants, which represented two 

of the 11 grants awarded in the energy sector. The focus of this grant effort is the upstream oil 

and gas industry, which includes drilling, servicing, and production of oil and gas. The 

Oklahoma region was prime for growth in the industry as gas consumption was rising nationwide 

and the area had no federal restrictions on new drilling. While the number of jobs was not 

predicted to grow, it was an industry plagued with high turnover and increasing retirements, and 

training of new and current employees to retain and promote was imperative. Thus, training was 

18 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 19 

focused on new employees with little or no previous experience in the oil and gas field and on 

current employees in the industry interested in upgrading their skills, which typically meant 

moving up from a floor hand to a derrick hand.8

Construction. CWIT already was focused on moving low-income women into betterpaying jobs in the construction trades, a male-dominated industry. As one of nine grantees in the 

construction sector, the organization expanded its pre-apprenticeship program to areas farther 

outside the Chicago area. At the time of the grant application, predictions were that 38,000 new 

construction jobs would be added in the Chicago region over the next 10 years. While job growth 

has slowed considerably in the local labor market, CWIT continues with its plans to develop a 

pre-apprenticeship system for women to enter the trades. 

Non-Sector. LDOL was one of 12 grants that did not focus on one particular industry 

sector. When the grant was awarded, Louisiana was recovering from the economic devastation 

following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The state was developing a large initiative to rebuild its 

workforce by training residents for available jobs in various sectors. Most of these jobs were in 

health care, energy, hospitality, and construction—all of which are industries designated by DOL 

as “high growth.” The larger workforce initiative leveraged the HGJTI grant with National 

Emergency Grants (NEGs), Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) grants, and Workforce 

Investment Act (WIA) formula funds to address the workforce needs during the recovery 

period.9

Funding Levels and Matching/Leveraged Funds 

HGJTI funding could be used flexibly for training and capacity-building activities, with most of 

the amounts in the $1–3 million range, as shown in table 3.3. JobPath received the smallest 

HGJTI grant funding of the six grantees visited, with approximately $275,000. LDOL received 

the highest single grant award of $3 million. HPTC was able to combine its two grants into 

nearly $4 million for its training and capacity-building efforts. 

Matching and leveraging funds are a major part of the HGJTI mechanism. Four grantees, 

(CWIT, CGCC, JobPath, and MDC) were required to provide matching funds that were either 

cash or in-kind contributions. Some of the grant solicitations required a match of 50 percent of 

the grant amount requested, and 50 percent of that match had to be in cash from one or more 

employer partners. Neither prior investments nor federal resources were allowed to be counted as 

matching funds but were thought of as “leveraged” funds by the grantees. This matching 

requirement applied to CWIT, CGCC, JobPath, and MDC. It did not apply to the HPTC grants, 

but HPTC did provide a match of approximately one-third in mostly in-kind contributions. 

LDOL did not have a match requirement but the grant was part of a larger recovery initiative and 

leveraged funds mainly from NEGs. 

 

8

 Derrick hands—also referred to as derrick operators—work on small platforms high on rigs to help run pipe in and 

out of well holes and operate the pumps that circulate mud through the pipe. 9

 The funds leveraged through NEG, BRAC, and WIA are not considered “matching” funds. No matching 

requirements existed for this HGJTI grant, and LDOL did not record these other grants as matching. 
20 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

TABLE 3.3: FUNDING AND DURATION OF GRANTS 

Type of Grant Project Duration Project Funding 

HGJTI grantee Training 

CapacityBuilding Start Date End Date HGJTI 

Funding 

Matching 

Funding 

Chicago Women in Trades 9 9 12/1/05 11/30/07 $2,092,343 $1,172,398 

Columbia Gorge Community 

College 9 9 4/1/04 8/31/07 $1,250,000 $1,367,000 

High Plains Technology Center 

9 9

6/1/03 

12/01/05 

3/30/06 

11/30/07 

$1,546,463 

$2,383,538 

$528,683 

$831,568 

(all in-kind) 

JobPath, Inc. 

9 9

7/1/05 6/30/07 

Extended to 

12/31/07 

$276,393 $185,710 

Louisiana Department of Labor 9 9 9/6/05 9/5/06 $3,000,000 $0 

Miami-Dade College 

9 9

6/15/05 6/30/07 

Extended to 

6/30/08 

$1,000,000 $1,370,000 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

The grantees that had cash-matching requirements usually solicited financial support 

from more than one employer. For example, CGCC garnered pledges from eight business 

partners, and MDC had three employers willing to contribute to the project. However, as usual 

with cash contributions, grantees had some difficulty collecting these contributions during the 

grant, and some had to find new sources to meet the match requirement. (This issue is discussed 

further under “Implementation Challenges.”) 

The grantees were able to leverage significant amounts of funding by using the HGJTI 

grant to build or improve current initiatives or by using funds simultaneously to create new 

initiatives. LDOL had the largest leveraged funding amount with at least $62 million from a 

NEG from ETA, plus a BRAC grant and WIA formula funds. Other grantees also leveraged 

other funding sources, especially other federal and state grants. MDC received a $3.5 million 

U.S. Department of Education grant and a $500,000 state education grant to develop the new 

biotechnology degree program. JobPath leveraged grants from the City of Tucson ($500,000) 

and Pima County ($380,000) to help support participants going through the training program. Of 

the 20 early HGJTI implementers discussed in the first report, 19 of 20 grantees had a wide range 

of matching and leveraged funds as well, from under $100,000 (in two grantees) to in excess of 

$10 million (in three grantees).10 

Partnerships and Collaborations 

A key goal of the HGJTI is creating meaningful and long-term partnerships between the 

workforce development system, local community colleges and other training institutions, 

employers, and a range of other organizations within a locality or region. Grantees sought out a 

wide array of partners to strengthen their initiatives by leveraging additional resources, 

expanding the range of participant training and other services, and helping to assure 

sustainability after HGJTI grant resources have been expended. Table 3.4 highlights key partners 

for each grantee. 

 

10 See exhibit 1 in Trutko et al. (2007). 
TABLE 3.4: GRANTEE PARTNERS 

Grantee Partners 

HGJTI Grantee 

K-12 

Schools 

PostSecondary 

Schools 

Local 

WIBs/ 

One-Stop 

Career 

Centers Employers Unions 

Economic 

Development More Information 

Columbia Gorge 

Community 

College 

9 9 9

Local hospitals and long-term care 

facilities provide preceptorshipsa for 

students 

Chicago Women 

in Trades 9 9 9 9

Community colleges play an active 

role with recruitment and sponsor 

Technical Opportunities Program 

classes 

High Plain 

Technology 

Center 9 9 9 9

Employers and industry trade 

associations play key role in sending 

individuals for training and provide 

direct input on curricula 

JobPath, Inc. 

9 9 9 9

Foundation and industry trade 

associations sit on the advisory 

board 

Louisiana 

Department of 

Labor 

9 9 9 9 9

Nearly all HGJTI funding is 

distributed through 26 contracts to 

local workforce investment boards, 

Community Technical Colleges 

System, community-based 

organizations, local unions, and 

employers 

Miami-Dade 

College 9 9 9 Industry trade associations sit on advisory board and review curricula 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

a

 A preceptorship is the practical experience gained in a professional setting in a nurse training program. 

Employers. All six grantees engaged employers and industry associations as key partners. 

Employer partnerships played a particularly critical role in four sites (HPTC, MDC, CGCC, and 

LDOL). For example, several local hospitals and long-term care facilities gave in-kind and cash 

contributions to support health career training for the CGCC project. They also provided 

preceptors (mentors and clinical instructors) who delivered hands-on instruction to nursing 

trainees. Similarly, employee partners in the HPTC project contributed equipment and tools. 

The report of 20 HGJTI early implementers also found that employer partnerships are 

especially important to ensure that the workforce challenges are accurately defined and the 

strategies selected meet the current and immediate needs of the sector. For example, grantees 

surveyed indicated that direct input from employers on curriculum, teaching methods, and 

equipment helps to ensure that instruction is relevant and attuned to specific industry 

applications and the latest adoption of new production processes. Employer involvement also 

helps to fine-tune knowledge about numbers and types of workers needed within occupational 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 21 
22 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

sub-specialties so there is a good match between supply of skilled workers and demand (e.g., to 

ensure that those trained are absorbed within the local/regional employers).11

In addition to contributions, many employer partners paid for their employees’ time spent 

participating in the training program and hired training graduates as new employees. 

Approximately 30 oil and gas companies provided direct input on program design and 

curriculum development for the HPTC project. As a result, the tailored training met the needs of 

employers and their production process. Some employers integrated the training initiative as a 

new employee orientation to the oil and gas industry, and others conditioned hiring on 

completion of the orientation training. MDC established formal agreements with three employers 

for training provision, and two partners directly assisted in the development of the training 

curricula. The University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute sponsored a majority of JobPath’s 

biotechnology internships. In addition, BIO5 faculty and researchers served as guest speakers, 

hosted lab tours and reviewed curricula for the initiative. As part of the LDOL project, five 

employers used HGJTI funds to immediately address their training and hiring needs. In the wake 

of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the funds helped the firms reestablish their businesses by 

supplying trained workers. While employers have not played a major role in the CWIT initiative, 

they have offered to hire training participants once they have completed the program and can 

enter into formal apprenticeships. Finally, hospital and long-term care facility staff also promote 

the CGCC initiative in the community and identify potential candidates for the training 

programs. 

Industry groups and trade associations serve as key partners in two sites (HPTC and 

MDC). Several oil and gas trade associations have actively participated in the HPTC initiative, 

providing input on training and curriculum, job needs and vacancies, and advertising the 

program to employers in the oil and gas industry. The Biosciences Job Growth Initiative in 

Miami-Dade County maintains a working relationship with the South Florida Manufacturing 

Association. Although not as actively involved or prominent as other sites, a representative from 

a local biotechnology trade association serves on JobPath’s advisory board. 

Local Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career Centers. Most HGJTI 

grantees developed partnerships with local workforce investment boards (WIBs) and One-Stop 

Career Centers, but half the HGJTI grantees (CGCC, JobPath, and LDOL) had more extensive 

partnerships with the workforce system than the other half (CWIT, HPTC, and MDC).12 In 

Tucson, JobPath has a longstanding relationship with the Pima County WIB. JobPath refers 

WIA-eligible participants to the WIB and co-enrolls them. In addition, One-Stop staff provide 

assistance in recruiting students for the JobPath Biotechnology Summer Institute and a college 

biotechnology program. A One-Stop representative also serves on the project’s advisory board. 

In another site, CGCC training participants may receive WIA funding to offset tuition costs and 

benefit from referrals to support services. Further, as in the JobPath project, One-Stop staff refer 

many participants to CGCC training. Local WIBs also play a major role as subgrantees for the 

LDOL initiative. For example, the Jefferson Parish WIB (JPWIB) serves as the fiscal agent for 

$1 million in grant funds to serve eight gulf region parishes. In this role, JPWIB staff conduct 

 

11 For more information, see Trutko et al. (2007), page 11. 12 All grantees indicated in their grant applications that the workforce system would have some role in the proposed 

HGJTI activities. 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 23 

outreach and recruitment for the program, help complete paperwork and enter client data, track 

training completion and job placement, and review and process invoices. However, HGJTI 

participants are not co-enrolled in WIA and do not receive WIA-funded support services. 

Other HGJTI grantees have not developed as active partnerships with WIBs and OneStop Career Centers as CGCC, JobPath, and LDOL have. In several CWIT counties, WIBs and 

One-Stop Career Centers provide some assistance with outreach and recruitment to the CWIT 

program. However, CWIT does not qualify as a WIA training provider and, typically, training 

participants do not enroll in WIA. HPTC does not collaborate extensively with the WIB, 

although the WIB provided support and referrals during the preceding grant period. While local 

One-Stop Career Centers distribute brochures about the program, no formal Memorandum of 

Understanding is in place with HPTC, and training participants do not enroll in WIA. Although a 

WIB representative serves on the MDC’s biotechnology advisory board, the WIB does not 

officially partner with the HGJTI project. 

Other Organizations. HGJTI grantees partner with various other organizations, including 

postsecondary institutions, local high schools, area nonprofits, and labor unions. Pima 

Community College played a key role in both curriculum development and instruction for the 

JobPath initiative. Four community colleges in Illinois actively recruit and provide support 

services in the CWIT project. As part of the LDOL project, Delgado Community College 

received HGJTI funding to provide fire safety training for the maritime offshore oil and gas 

industry. The Oregon Health Sciences University shared experiences and modules from its 

simulation lab with CGCC. 

Two grantees work with local schools to recruit high school students for their programs. 

MDC works with the Miami-Dade Public Schools to recruit minority youth through career days 

and other presentations to high school students. Similarly, JobPath partners with area high 

schools to help recruit high school students for JobPath’s Summer Institute. 

HGJTI grantees also partner with local service providers for training delivery. A 

nonprofit substance abuse treatment facility received LDOL HGJTI funds to train workers in 

furniture repair and rehabilitation in support of a furniture rehabilitation business. La Clinica, a 

community-based organization, helped develop outreach materials in English and Spanish and 

provided clinical setting opportunities for students as part of the CGCC grant activities. 

HGJTI grantees also partner with state and federal agencies. Illinois state agencies 

provide matching funds for the CWIT initiative. The state agency overseeing the workforce 

development system encourages local WIBs and One-Stop Career Centers to support the CWIT 

initiative and assist with recruitment, and Apprenticeship Information Centers have disseminated 

apprenticeship information. Oklahoma’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, the VA, and the criminal 

justice system provide some outreach efforts and referrals for the HPTC initiative.13

Some HGJTI grantees work with local economic development agencies and unions. For 

example, local economic development agencies have assisted HPTC’s efforts and extended 

opportunities to present information about the initiative to employers. Members of a local 

 

13 For additional details about partnerships, see Trutko et al. (2007), pages 9–12. 
24 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

consortium of organizations and businesses interested in promoting the development of the 

biosciences in southern Florida work with MDC to help shape its curricula and promote MDC’s 

incumbent worker and associate degree programs in biotechnology. In addition, two projects 

established partnerships with unions (CWIT and LDOT). Approximately 30 unions have 

contributed to the CWIT initiative, sponsoring hands-on instruction and assisting with outreach 

efforts. 

Similarly, the 20 grantees surveyed as part of the early implementation study emphasized 

that bringing the right partnerships together is critical to the success of the grant efforts. For 

many of these early implementers, the partnerships formed involved close collaboration among 

several of the following: (1) local workforce investment system (usually the One-Stop Career 

Center and local WIB); (2) educational system (often the local community college system); (3) 

employers within the specific industry targeted; and (4) local or regional economic development 

agencies. Grantee staff stressed the importance of partners sharing a similar vision, providing 

buy-in in the form of financial or in-kind contributions, having a clear understanding of 

respective roles and responsibilities, and regularly getting together to monitor progress and 

troubleshoot problems. 

B. Job Training Strategies 

As envisioned by ETA, the HGJTI is “a strategic effort to prepare workers to take advantage of 

new and increasing job opportunities in high-growth, high-demand and economically vital 

sectors of the American economy.” At the heart of HGJTI is job training provided to enhance 

worker skills to build successful careers in high-growth industries. As defined by ETA, the job 

training initiatives undertaken by HGJTI grantees are aimed at the following: 

• developing a pipeline of young workers; 

• building competency models, career ladders, and career lattices for new and incumbent 

workers; 

• expanding postsecondary training alternatives including apprenticeships and community 

colleges’ workforce development programs; 

• accessing new and/or untapped labor pools; 

• transitioning workers from declining industries; 

• developing strategies for retaining incumbent workers and updating their skills; and 

• engaging small businesses.14 

The job training models implemented by the six HGJTI sites visited as part of this assessment 

each exhibit many of these features and, when taken together, exhibit all these features. This 

section describes the key aspects of the training approaches undertaken at each of the six selected 

sites, including the number of training programs initiated; types of occupations trained, training 

duration, and training methods employed; and whether training resulted in degree or 

certification. Table 3.5 provides an overview of key dimensions of the individual training 

programs initiated at the six HGJTI sites. 

 

14 Background on the job training goals under the HGTJI is from the ETA Web site, 

http://www.doleta.gov/BRG/JobTrainInitiative/. 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 25 

Number, Types, and Focus of Training Programs 

As shown in table 3.5, five of the six sites visited (all except CWIT) offered more than one 

training component. A total of 41 separate training initiatives were funded with HGJTI funding 

across these six sites—26 of which were contracted under the LDOL HGJTI grant.15 Across the 

six sites visited, the training provided was in five high-growth industry sectors: health care, 

energy (including oil and gas), construction/building trades/shipbuilding, biotechnology, and 

hospitality. Five of the six HGJTI projects focused on training workers for a single industry 

sector. The sixth project, sponsored by the LDOL, aimed more broadly to assist workers and 

businesses recovering from the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita across four industry 

sectors. Under this project, much of the $3 million in HGJTI funding was subcontracted through 

local WIBs and to community colleges and other training providers to support training efforts in 

the health care, energy, hospitality, and shipbuilding/construction industry sectors (see box 3.2 

for an overview of the range of training initiatives offered through the LDOL project). 

Box 3.2 

Louisiana Department of Labor: Job Training as a Part of Disaster Recovery 

The Louisiana Department of Labor initiated 26 contracts (with local WIBs, the Louisiana Community 

Technical College Systems, community-based agencies, local unions, and employers) to provide training 

targeted on four sectors: health care, energy, hospitality, and construction. The training was broadly 

aimed at helping rebuild the workforce and assisting recovering businesses devastated by Hurricanes 

Katrina and Rita. Training was targeted to bring new workers into the region with skills needed by area 

employers, as well as to upgrade skills of dislocated and incumbent workers already in the area. Due to 

the need for getting workers into the workforce quickly, much of the training provided was on-the-job or 

involved short-term intensive classroom training. The high-growth occupations targeted included pipe 

fitters, ship fitters, and welders (in the shipbuilding industry); registered nurses, certified nursing 

assistants, and medical assistants (in the health care industry); and carpenters (in the construction 

industry). 

 

15 The exhibit shows details on 6 of the 26 training initiatives begun under the HGJTI in Louisiana as they were the 

training programs visited or discussed during the site visit. 
TABLE 3.5: GRANTEE TRAINING COMPONENTS 

Type of Instruction 

HGJTI Grantee Sector 

Type of 

Training 

Duration of 

Training 

Classroom 

On-the-job 

Training 

(OJT) 

Contract w/ 

Employer 

Internship/ 

Hands-on 

Experience 

Results in 

Degree or 

Certification 

Chicago Women in Trades 

Construction Preapprenticeship 

training (for entry to building trades apprenticeship programs) 

170 hours 9 9 • The Technical Opportun

awareness and preparinapprenticeship entry exa

• More than 300 individua

usually in classes of 30 

• Training includes classr

experiencing building tra12 weeks and includes curriculum, job readinesinvolving workshops in vconditioning. 

• Case management and 

provided to complemen

Health care Associate’s 

degree in nursing (RN) 

2 years 9 9 9

(Associate’s 

degree) 

• Goal is to enable local r

leaving the local area. 

• 24 new students accept• Intensive two-year prog

classroom training with simulation laboratory anfacilities each term. 

Health care Certified 

nursing assistant (CNA) 

160 hours 9 9 9

(CNA 

certification) 

• Aimed at increasing pip• About 200 CNAs trained 

ranging from 8 to 20. 

• Includes 80 hours of cla

usually at long-term car

Columbia Gorge Community College 

Health care Certified 

medication assistant (CMA) 

80 hours 9 9 9

(CMA 

certification) 

• Aimed at upgrading skil

training). 

• Offers 48 hours of class

including use of simulat

26 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSISOF HGJTI PROGRAMS 

TABLE 3.5: GRANTEE TRAINING COMPONENTS 

Type of Instruction 

HGJTI Grantee Sector 

Type of 

Training 

Duration of 

Training 

Classroom 

On-the-job 

Training 

(OJT) 

Contract w/ 

Employer 

Internship/ 

Hands-on 

Experience 

Results in 

Degree or 

Certification 

Health care Emergency 

medical technician (EMT) 

160 hours 9 9 9

(EMT 

certification) 

• Trainees are often curre

the region. 

• Includes 160 hours of tr

hours in a local emerge

• CGCC holds one course 

occur two times a week 

Health care First responder 44 hours 9 9 9

(First responder 

certification) 

• First responders are vol

disaster or large-scale erecent high school grad

• Trainees receive 44 hou

and emergency respons

Oil & gas Floor hand (for 

oil and gas drilling) 

40 hours 9 9 • Trainees attend three da

hands-on instruction on 

• Training focuses on rig 

tool use, forklift operatioreceive a training manuPowerPoint presentation

• Four to 12 trainees atten

week throughout the ye

High Plains Technology Center 

Oil & gas Floor hand (for 

well servicing) 

40 hours 9 9 • Trainees attend three da

hands-on instruction on 

• Training focuses on rig 

tool use in servicing of wreceive a training manuPowerPoint presentation
28 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN 

TABLE 3.5: GRANTEE TRAINING COMPONENTS 

Type of Instruction 

HGJTI Grantee Sector 

Type of 

Training 

Duration of 

Training 

Classroom 

On-the-job 

Training 

(OJT) 

Contract w/ 

Employer 

Internship/ 

Hands-on 

Experience 

Results in 

Degree or 

Certification 

Oil & gas Derrick hand 

(for oil and gas drilling 

40 hours 9 9 • Designed as upgrade tr

highly skilled and highly 

• Trainees attend three da

hands-on instruction on 

• Training focuses on rig 

tool use, forklift operatioreceive a training manuPowerPoint presentation

Biotechnology Biotechnology 

technology upgrade training 

400+ hours 9 9 9

(Certificate in 

biotechnology) 

• Program is designed to 

degree. Prerequisites foand math courses. 

• Hands-on lab experienc

biotechnology courses (cooperative work/paid inbiotechnology employerUniversity of Arizona). 

JobPath, Inc. 

Biotechnology Summer 

institute for high school youth 

90 hours 9 9 • Provides opportunity for 

Introduction to BiotechnCollege. 

• Students attend class fo• Coursework includes ha

guest lectures from empgroup work experiencesskills. 
TABLE 3.5: GRANTEE TRAINING COMPONENTS 

Type of Instruction 

HGJTI Grantee Sector 

Type of 

Training 

Duration of 

Training 

Classroom 

On-the-job 

Training 

(OJT) 

Contract w/ 

Employer 

Internship/ 

Hands-on 

Experience 

Results in 

Degree or 

Certification 

Shipbuilding (contract with shipyard) 

OJT for entrylevel pipe fitters, ship fitters, and welders 

640 hours 

9

9

9 • OJT contract with major 

complemented by two e

• 640 total hours of OJT c

initially and decreasing 

• During OJT phase, work

Shipbuilding (contract with shipyard) 

OJT for entrylevel workers 240 hours 

9

9

9 • OJT contract with major 

limited classroom trainin

• Wages of workers subs

Health care (contract with hospital) 

Certified nursing assistant 

Up to 6 

months 

9

9

9

(CNA 

certification) 

• Classroom training (six 

workers for CNA and mecenter. 

Health care (contract with Our Lady of Lakes) 

Registered nurse 

2 years 

9

9

9

(Associate’s 

degree) 

• Contract picked up train

for the second half of RHurricane Katrina. 

Construction (contract with Odyssey House) 

Carpentry skills and furniture repair 

4 months (8 

hours a day) 

9

9 • Participants affected by 

substance abuse treatm

• Grant funds used to pur

furniture workshop, pay secondhand retail furnitstaff (one to oversee the secondhand furniture st

• Training program is for f

featuring one hour of claseven hours of furniture 

Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL) 

Energy (contract with Delgado Community College) 

Safety training for offshore oil and gas platform workers 

12 to 40 

hours 

9

9

9

(Certificate of 

completion) 

• DCC received a two-mo

training for the maritime 

• 109 workers trained dur

was for 12 hours); workdays off from rigs. 

IMPLEMENTATION 

ANALYSISOF HGJTI

PROGRAMS 
30 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN 

TABLE 3.5: GRANTEE TRAINING COMPONENTS 

Type of Instruction 

HGJTI Grantee Sector 

Type of 

Training 

Duration of 

Training 

Classroom 

On-the-job 

Training 

(OJT) 

Contract w/ 

Employer 

Internship/ 

Hands-on 

Experience 

Results in 

Degree or 

Certification 

Biotechnology Good 

manufacturing and documentation practices 

8 hours 9 9

(Certificate of 

completion) 

• Largest training effort un

Pharmaceutical Manufainstruction on the methotheir work in the lab. 

• MDC Virtual College cre

course with the assistan

• MDC Virtual College vid

pulled modules together examples, practice tests

• Training can be conduc

workstation during the smonitor the trainees’ proquestions via e-mail. 

Biotechnology Adult education 

and workplace skills 

Variable 9 • Training program starte

pharmaceutical companand workplace training timproving employee ski

• Adult education and wo

business writing, basic Slanguage were provided 

Biotechnology Performance 

evaluations and project management for managers 

Several hours 9 9

(Certificate of 

completion) 

• Consulting firm created • Workshop sessions for 

management feedback, appraisal system. 

Miami-Dade College (MDC) 

Biotechnology Contamination 

control 

2 hours 9 9

(Certificate of 

completion) 

• Purpose of workshop is 

FDA regulations around 

• Consulting firm created • Six two-hour training se

for 244 incumbent work

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 
Types of training offered under HGJTI grants were determined by regional labor market 

conditions as a result of direct employer input and through analyses of up-to-date labor market 

information concerning the specific types of workers (and blend of skills) required by area 

employers. In several sites, careful consideration was given to the “pipeline” of workers into and 

through a given industry sector, with particular attention on alleviating shortages of skilled 

workers faced by employers. The CWIT program, for example, sought to expand the supply of 

women entering a wide variety of occupations within the building trades. As shown in box 3.3, 

CWIT offered a pre-apprenticeship program that sought to bring an untapped supply of workers 

(i.e., women) to an industry sector that had experienced large growth in recent years. CWIT 

sought first to increase awareness within the targeted population of the many high-paying 

opportunities within the building trades sector through an extensive public relations campaign. 

Through its pre-apprenticeship training initiative, the agency then sought to increase the 

probability that women would be accepted into three- to five-year apprenticeship programs in 

building trades occupations (e.g., carpentry, plumbing, iron working, sheet metal). 

Box 3.3 

Chicago Women in Trades: Improving the Competitiveness of Women in Construction 

Under its HGJTI grant, CWIT offered the Technical Opportunities Program (TOP), a pre-apprenticeship 

training program aimed at improving competitiveness of women on the apprenticeship entry exam and 

interview. TOP, which provided 170 hours of training over 12 weeks, had four training components: 

• Math curriculum. Participants were prepared for the aptitude test by attending four hours of classroom 

instruction each week on basic math concepts (e.g., fractions, decimals, percentages, geometry, basic 

algebra, spatial relations, mechanical reasoning, and numerical reasoning). 

• Job readiness. A one-hour weekly job readiness workshop covered how to find a job in the 

construction industry, career exploration, goal setting, self-esteem building, nontraditional resume 

development and interviewing, budgeting, and sexual harassment prevention. 

• Hands-on experience. Provided every Saturday for 7 hours, hands-on experience in the construction 

trades involved field trips and workshops taught by tradespersons. The goal was to expose 

participants to the various construction trades and to aid them in choosing an apprenticeship program. 

• Physical conditioning. Provided two hours a week, physical conditioning helped participants build 

endurance and upper-body strength and incorporate regular exercise and sound nutrition into their 

daily routines. 

Similar to CWIT, HPTC also sought to expand the pipeline of workers entering a rapidly 

growing (and high-paying) industry sector within its region—the oil and gas drilling industry. 

Short-term training (lasting 40 hours) focused on introducing workers to entry-level floor hand 

jobs for oil and gas drilling, as well as for servicing oil and gas wells. The training emphasized 

rig safety, basic tools and equipment, and terms and definitions commonly used in the 

workplace. It included three days of classroom instruction, followed by two days of hands-on 

instruction on an oil and gas drilling simulator. Many trainees entering this program had been 

newly hired by employers and attended this 40-hour session as an introduction to working on oil 

rigs. Upon completing the workshop, they would go on to receive more in-depth on-the-job 

training at worksites within the industry. Once workers gained experience in entry-level floor 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 31 
hand jobs within the sector, they could come back to HPTC for 40 hours of additional classroom 

training intended to help floor hands make the transition to derrick hands (the next rung on the 

career ladder within the industry). 

CGCC similarly gave careful consideration to the “pipeline” of workers within a 

particular high-demand industry sector, health care. However, unlike CWIT and HPTC, CGCC 

sought to provide substantive training along several rungs of the career ladder that would lead to 

a health care degree or certification. CGCC’s HGJTI grant was squarely focused on reducing 

shortages of registered nurses (RNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs), certified medication 

assistants (CMAs), emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and first responders within its rural 

area (see box 3.4). Training was targeted at individuals residing within the locality (a mostly 

rural, small town area a little over an hour from Portland) who were considered more likely to 

continue to reside in the area once they had completed training. 

Box 3.4 

Columbia Gorge Community College: Developing a Health Care Career Ladder in Rural Areas 

An important goal under the HGJTI grant was to expand the college’s health care offerings into a career 

ladder program—for example, create a viable health career occupations ladder with an integrated pathway 

from CNA to CNA-2 to CMA to LPN to RN. This career ladder would offer multiple entry points, 

smooth transitions between steps, and give the opportunity to exit with an associate’s degree in nursing 

(with the potential down the road of enrollment in a distance learning bachelor’s degree of nursing 

program). An important goal was to bring new workers into the health care sector at varying levels and 

for these workers to stay in the region (rather than moving to Portland or other metropolitan areas). Five 

types of training were supported by the HGJTI grant: (1) a two-year RN training program, culminating in 

an associate’s degree in nursing; (2) a 160-hour CNA training program (featuring 80 hours of classroom 

and 80 hours of clinical training); (3) an 80-hour CMA training component to upgrade skills of existing 

CNAs within the community; (4) a 160-hour EMT training program; and (5) a 44-hour first responder 

training initiative (featuring advanced first aid training primarily aimed at recent high school graduates).

Finally, JobPath and MDC, which both offered training in biotechnology, took different 

approaches. The JobPath program focused on encouraging youth to consider careers in 

biotechnology (through the Biotechnology Summer Institute), then supporting efforts to provide 

two years of substantive training. The Biotechnology Summer Institute provides the opportunity 

for selected high school students to take an Introduction to Biotechnology Course at Pima 

Community College. This 90-hour summer school course includes hands-on lab experience, 

class lectures, guest lectures from employers, field trips to employers, small group work 

experiences, and instruction in critical thinking skills. JobPath also provides support for students 

in classes leading to a certificate in biotechnology. The certificate in biotechnology is designed 

to complement an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Hands-on lab experience is provided through 

three core biotechnology courses (totaling nine credits), followed by cooperative work/paid 

internships (320 hours, for three credits) with biotechnology employers in industry or research, 

primarily the University of Arizona. 

32 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
Under its HGJTI project, MDC offered four workshops aimed at upgrading skills of 

workers already working within the biotechnology industry: (1) good manufacturing and 

documentation practices; (2) adult education and workplace skills such as computer literacy, 

business writing, basic Spanish, and English as a second language (ESL); (3) performance 

evaluations and project management for managers; and (4) a contamination control workshop. 

Training modules were developed for each offering with the assistance of two outside training 

consultants and the input of the employers. The goal of the training effort was to train incumbent 

industrial pharmaceutical manufacturing (IPM) technicians and related biotechnology workers, 

as well as to increase retention of these workers. Box 3.5 provides additional information about 

the structure of the three incumbent worker training components offered under the MDC HGJTI 

initiative. 

Box 3.5 

Miami-Dade College: Supporting the Biotechnology Industry through Incumbent Worker Training 

MDC focused on upgrading technical skills of technicians already within the biotechnology sector by 

providing the following training components, in addition to adult education and English as a Second 

Language:

• Good manufacturing and documentation practices. The Good Documentation Practices (GDP) 

curriculum provides technicians with eight hours of instruction on the methodology for keeping good 

notes/records of their work in the lab. MDC’s Virtual College videotaped lessons for each module 

and pulled together an online course that had lessons, examples, practice tests, and tests to complete 

the module. The training could be conducted by an employee in his or her office or workstation 

during the scheduled training times. 

• Basics of contamination control. This 12-hour workshop on contamination control is provided to 

biotechnology workers at one large biotech firm regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The 

six-session workshop was held over two days for 244 employees, who received a certificate of 

completion. 

• Performance management. Performance management classes were held to enhance the management 

feedback, interaction, and overall employee appraisal system. Eighteen managers (at two firms) 

attended this workshop. 

Training Methods and Duration 

As shown earlier in table 3.5, all the training programs offered some form of classroom 

instruction. Some training programs—particularly the longer ones (such as the associate’s degree 

of nursing program offered by CGCC and the two-year histology and medical technician training 

offered by JobPath)—strongly emphasized classroom instruction. CGCC’s RN training program 

provides an example of the type of longer-term training sponsored under HGJTI, which managed 

to supplement traditional classroom training with innovative training methods (e.g., using a 

simulation laboratory) and internships at area health care facilities (see box 3.6). 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 33 
34 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

Box 3.6 

Columbia Gorge Community College: Short- and Long-Term Nurse Training Programs 

This HGJTI grant offered five separate training initiatives, all of which featured structured classroom 

instruction, supplemented by hands-on experiences in the workplace. The structure of two training 

initiatives (one longer-term and one shorter-term) are highlighted below: 

• Students who complete the two-year associate’s degree of nursing (ADN) program become licensed 

registered nurses. Some nursing students become licensed as practical nurses (LPNs) after the end of 

the first year. CGCC accepts 24 students every year. While much of the students’ time is spent in the 

classroom, they spend all their time in the last quarter of the program in clinical settings. During the 

last quarter, students have 12 days of preceptorship (160 hours total worked), 2 days in the simulation 

lab, and 10 days at area hospitals. 

• The certified nursing assistant (CNA) program provides a total of 160 hours of training—80 hours in 

class (earning nine credits) and 80 in a clinical setting (always long-term care facilities). The training, 

which takes place over 12 weeks during the fall or spring (or over four–five weeks in a summer 

session), is composed of up to 20 students. The classroom/lecture time occurs in the evening over 

five–six weeks, followed by the clinical training, which occurs during the day for six–eight weeks. 

There is one full-time instructor for the classroom portion and one adjunct that teaches the clinical 

setting. There is also CNA II–level coursework that CNAs can continue if they want to specialize in 

hospital-based nursing. 

In the report on 20 early implementers, grantees emphasized that training for high-skilled, 

high-demand occupations requires highly trained instructors, up-to-date equipment, and 

flexibility. Grantees noted that training provided under HGJTI grants is, for the most part, cutting 

edge and in industry sectors—such as the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, 

biotechnology, and geospatial sectors—that have, in recent years, experienced rapid infusion of 

new technologies and production processes. According to the grantees, to prepare workers for 

emerging technologies and production processes, instructors must be well-versed in the use of 

the latest technologies, state-of-the-art equipment, and new production methods.16 

At the other end of the training spectrum were on-the-job training (OJT) initiatives such 

as those mounted with HGJTI funding under the LDOL’s project, which featured wage subsidies 

to cover a portion of the wages paid to workers while they received mostly hands-on instruction 

from supervisors and fellow workers (typically complemented by several hours of classroom 

training). A good example of this type of training was provided through a contract by the JPWIB 

with a local shipbuilder (see box 3.7). 

While some HGJTI grantees offered long-term training (as highlighted above), other 

grantees used HGJTI funding to sponsor classroom training that were much shorter (40 hours or 

less). These shorter-term training efforts were in some instances meant to get workers interested 

in a particular field and to provide a basic level of skills (and knowledge of safety procedures) 

that would facilitate entry into a high-growth field. As discussed earlier, the 170-hour pre-

 

16 For additional details about types of training offered by the 20 early implementers and lessons learned about 

providing training, see Trutko et al. (2007), pages 14–15. 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 35 

apprenticeship workshop offered by CWIT and the 40-hour workshops (for floor hands in the oil 

and gas industry) offered by HPTC are examples of this type of short-term training that typically 

combines classroom and some level of hands-on experience. At the farthest end of the durationof-training spectrum were several workshops offered by MDC: the eight-hour workshop (via 

distance learning) that focused on good manufacturing and documentation practices and the twohour workshops focusing on contamination control. 

Box 3.7 

Louisiana Department of Labor: On-the-Job Training to Rebuild the Workforce 

Several of the 26 subcontracts let under this HGJTI opted for on-the-job training to bring workers quickly 

into entry-level jobs and to support employer efforts to upgrade workers’ job-related skills. For example, 

one OJT contract by the JPWIB was with a major shipbuilder in the Gulf region to provide training for 

entry-level pipe fitters, ship fitters, and welders. The OJT contracts were for a total of 640 hours, with the 

wage initially reimbursed at 100 percent, and then decreasing to 80 percent, 60 percent, and finally 50 

percent over the length of the contract. During OJTs, the firm paid workers biweekly at an hourly rate 

ranging from $9.24 to $10.95. Training was mostly on the job but also included classroom training two 

nights each week. About 50 percent completed the 640 hours of training; about 40 percent remained with 

the firm after the OJT was completed. Reasons for attrition included lack of screening and low 

requirements for entry into training (e.g., the firm waived the high school/GED degree and lowered the 

Work Keys requirements), some trainees realized shipyard work was not for them or did not like working 

outside (i.e., shipyard work can be hard and dirty work that can at times be hazardous), and some trainees 

had their families elsewhere or were still getting resettled after Hurricane Katrina. 

Overall, it is difficult to generalize about training hours and program duration. Some 

HGJTI programs offered training through a community college setting with a degree objective 

requiring up to two academic years (in some instances, because participants attended training 

only part time, training could take fours years or longer to complete). The short-term training 

programs (sometimes resulting in certification, but other times only providing upgraded skill 

levels) varied from several hours or days to several weeks or months. Typically, training for 

incumbent workers was generally shorter and more narrowly focused, compared with training 

provided for unemployed or underemployed workers. 

Training Levels 

Discussions with grantee staff, along with grantee information and the quarterly reports 

submitted to ETA, provide some preliminary information about the level of training provided. 

All the grantees visited were tracking information on training activities, but there were some 

differences in what grantees collected and how it was reported.17 Nonetheless, the grantee 

reports are informative. 

 

All six grantees were on track to meet their training goals. Five sites (CGCC, HPTC, 

JobPath, LDOL, and MDC) had exceeded their enrollment goals, and three sites (CGCC, HPTC, 

17 A report on outcomes for the training component of selected grants will be published in 2008. 
and MDC) had met their training completion goals. Some, such as MDC, CGCC, and HPTC, 

found that they were able to increase the number of individuals trained using the current funding 

levels and the support of employer partners, both cash and in-kind contributions. MDC also 

extended its grant to train more incumbent workers as a part of this project. CGCC’s training 

numbers are duplicate counts, and it is difficult to tell how many people have been trained as 

some follow the career ladder from CNA to RN. However, CGCC has certainly exceeded its 

training numbers as well. 

Among the grantees, the completion rates for those providing shorter-term training are 

higher than grantees providing longer training. More who start short-term training may complete 

the entire program, while a higher proportion of those in longer training may withdraw before the 

end. For example, HPTC, which provides 40 hours of training for new and current floor hands 

and derrick hands, has had few dropouts. The same is true for MDC’s trainees, who receive 

short-term training that is usually conducted during work hours and at the work site (see table 

3.6). 

Some grantees have longer training programs than others do; as a result, their completion 

rates are not as high because individuals are still in training. For example, JobPath’s completion 

rates for its biotechnology, histology, and phlebotomy students are currently low because it takes 

at least two years to complete these programs. LDOL also has longer-term training programs in 

shipbuilding and construction but have used mostly on-the-job training rather than classroom 

training. As trainees receive wages during their training time, this may have helped with the 

completion rates, coming in at 72 percent. One grantee, CWIT, which also has longer-term 

training (170 hours), had to modify its training goal—from 950 to 450 trained—owing to the 

slowdown of hiring in the construction industry. However, CWIT is on track to meet its revised 

training goal (see box 3.8). 

TABLE 3.6: TRAINING OUTCOMES (AS OF 6/30/07 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED) 

HGJTI Grantee 

Enrollment 

and Training 

Goal 

Number 

Enrolled in 

Training 

Percent 

Completing 

Training 

Percent 

Placed in 

Jobs 

Percent 

Retained 

in Jobs Comments 

Chicago Women in 

Trades 

450 (modified 

from 950) 

333 

(as of 8/21/07) 

68% 

(225 as of 

8/21/07) 

49% n/a The goal for average wage at 

placement ($13 an hour) has been 

exceeded ($17.62 an hour) and 

wages will increase as participants 

complete apprenticeships. 

Columbia Gorge 

Community College 

200 767 

(duplicated 

count) 

91% 

(696 

completers) 

n/a n/a Nearly all RNs and CNAs complete 

training, pass exams, and enter 

employment. 

High Plains 

Technology Center 

1,303 2,162 Nearly 100% 74% n/a Participants typically earn $14–$18 

an hour as floor hands and $26 an 

hour as derrick hands. 

JobPath, Inc. 30 (biotech) 

50 (summer 

youth) 

34 

75 

24% 100% n/a Those who completed the biotech 

certificate are earning $37,000–

$42,000. 

Louisiana 

Department of Labor 

1,124 1,191 72% 56% n/a 

Miami-Dade College 800 918 Nearly 100% n/a 99% Average hourly earnings of trainees 

are $37.23. 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

36 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
Box 3.8 

Chicago Women in Trades: Responding to a Slowdown in the Construction Sector 

The original training goal of CWIT was to enroll 950 individuals in training, but because of slackening 

demand for new apprentices (owing to a slowdown in the construction industry), CWIT modified its 

enrollment goal to 450 individuals. As of the August 21, 2007 site visit, CWIT had enrolled 333 in 

training. This represents 75 percent of its revised enrollment goal. With a revised end date of June 2008, 

CWIT should reach this revised goal. CWIT anticipates that 70 percent of enrollees will complete 

training, and, as of the site visit, 225 had done so (68 percent). The goal is for 300 TOP participants to be 

accepted in apprenticeship programs or gain employment directly in the construction industry. Currently, 

there is a lag between completion of the coursework and entry into apprenticeship programs (sometimes a 

year or longer), so some graduates are still waiting for their acceptance into apprenticeship programs. Of 

the 225 who have completed the program, 103 have been accepted into apprenticeship programs and 8 are 

working in some other type of job in the construction industry, so job placements to date total 111. This 

yields a 49 percent placement rate so far. This rate is preliminary and is expected over time to increase as 

some of those who have completed training are just now applying to apprenticeship programs or are on 

waiting lists with some chance that they will be accepted in the future. 

Four of the six grantees—CWIT, HPTC, JobPath, and LDOL—have tracked job 

placement rates. One hundred percent of JobPath graduates have found gainful employment in 

the biotechnology sector and are earning $37,000–$42,000 a year. HPTC estimates that nearly 75 

percent of its trainees were placed in jobs if they were not already employed or promised a job 

upon completion. HPTC has a job placement specialist to help those trying to find a job. As 

described above in box 3.8, CWIT graduates, who have a 49 percent placement rate, must often 

wait a long time to be accepted to apprenticeship programs, and job placement is slow owing to 

the downturn in the construction industry. LDOL reported a 56 percent job placement rate, below 

its original goal of 75 percent, but it thought that placement was particularly successful in the 

health care sector and for participants that received on-the-job training. CGCC has surveyed its 

former training participants to track their job placement and retention, but the information 

gathered has not been reliable thus far. 

MDC trains only incumbent workers so data collection on job placement was not 

necessary. However, it did track retention of the training completers. As of June 30, 2007, a year 

after training started, the retention rate for MDC trainees is 99 percent. This outcome is 

somewhat expected as the industrial pharmaceutical manufacturing industry has low turnover 

rates. MDC is tracking promotions within companies of individuals who received training and 

will be able to provide those numbers to ETA in its final report. 

C. Capacity-Building Strategies 

An important purpose of the HGJTI is to expand the capacity of the training and workforce 

development systems to meet the skills development needs of the targeted high-growth 

industries. As addressed in previous sections, some HGJTI grantees visited are primarily 

providing direct training to workers, others focus on a wide range of capacity-building efforts, 

and many grantees are engaged in both training and capacity-building activities. This section 

describes the capacity-building efforts undertaken as part of these initiatives. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 37 
Types of Capacity-Building Activities 

Capacity-building activities within the context of HGJTI are strategies designed to expand the 

quality and quantity of training and education programs for workers and to increase the capacity 

of the workforce in occupations in the targeted sectors. Capacity-building efforts include 

activities, projects, or initiatives to develop new programs as well as enhance existing programs 

to better meet the demands of the targeted industries. 

As shown in table 3.7, all six grantees selected for site visits included as key elements of 

their initiatives multiple types of capacity-building efforts. While not necessarily representative 

of all the HGJTI initiatives, these grantees provide many examples of the range of approaches to 

capacity-building implemented by the grantees. Descriptions of capacity-building activities 

implemented by one or more of the six grantees are provided below. These include development 

of outreach materials; design and development of program curricula and instructional materials; 

creation of career ladders and competency models; development or improvement of credentials, 

certifications or degree programs; design or use of new instructional techniques and/or 

technologies (e.g., Web-based learning); expansion of the number of training program “slots”; 

expansion of the number of certified instructors for particular training or education programs; 

and expansion of training alternatives to access new or untapped labor pools. 

TABLE 3.7: TRAINING AND EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES 

HGJTI 

Grantee 

Developed 

Outreach 

Materials 

(e.g., 

brochures, 

Web sites) 

Developed 

Curricula/ 

Instructional 

Materials 

Created 

Career 

Ladders/ 

Competency 

Models 

Developed 

New/Improved 

Credentials/ 

Certifications/ 

Degrees 

Designed/ 

Used New 

Instructional 

Techniques/ 

Technologies 

Expanded 

Number of 

Training 

Program 

Slots 

Increased 

Number of 

Certified 

Instructors 

Expanded 

Training 

Alternatives to 

Access 

New/Untapped 

Labor Pools 

Chicago 

Women in 

Trades 

9 9 9 9

Columbia 

Gorge 

Community 

College 

9 9 9 9 9 9 9

High Plains 

Technology 

Center 

9 9 9 9 9

JobPath, Inc. 9 9 9 9 9 9

Louisiana 

Department 

of Labor 

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

Miami-Dade 

College 9 9 9 9 9 9

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

Development of outreach materials. As shown in table 3.7, all six grantees developed 

some type of outreach materials designed to provide potential employees with information about 

education and training programs as well as new employment opportunities in the targeted sector. 

These materials included, for example, brochures, posters, flyers, DVDs, CDs, new or upgraded 

Web sites, presentations to various audiences (e.g., high school career days), newspaper 

38 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
advertisements, and radio and television public service announcements. Several sites made these 

materials available in both English and Spanish. As described in box 3.9, CWIT, similar to most 

grantees, combined multiple outreach strategies as part of its overall effort to share information 

about job opportunities for women in the construction/building trades sector. HPTC generated 

interest in its training program for incumbent workers through the development and distribution 

of program brochures and posters at One-Stop Career Centers, Bureau of Indian Affairs offices, 

the criminal justice system and the VA. The grantee also maintains an informational Web site 

(www.hptc.net), which links to a downloadable program application. 

Box 3.9 

Chicago Women in Trades: Promoting Awareness of Construction Trades among Women 

CWIT staff built awareness of construction trades as a nontraditional occupation through various outreach 

efforts, including presentations to WIBs, One-Stops, the Department of Human Services, churches, and 

community college administrators and staff. For example, CWIT staff visited One-Stop Career Centers in 

the greater Chicago area, made several hour-long presentations to staff, and distributed printed 

recruitment materials. CWIT staff have also made presentations on opportunities for women in the 

construction trades at national conferences and state-sponsored events. They have also participated in 

Web seminars aimed at disseminating information about women entering the construction trades and preapprenticeship programs. CWIT staff also refined and enhanced the organization’s Web site 

(www.chicagowomenintrades.org), which provides general information on women entering the 

construction trades, a self-assessment tool, and other materials. Finally, CWIT developed various 

recruitment brochures/flyers, a CD, and other promotional materials to encourage women to enter the 

construction trades, including a video used to recruit women into their pre-apprenticeship program and 

encourage entry of women to construction trades. 

Development of program curricula or instructional materials. All six grantees used 

project funds either to develop new curricula or to update or enhance existing program curricula 

for training programs for the selected industries. For example, HPTC developed training 

curricula and manuals for each of the three types of training offered, designed with guidance 

from four six-member industry advisory committees. Direct, ongoing input from employers was 

sought to ensure that training was tailored to the needs of the employer community. CWIT 

developed and refined a “modular” four-component curriculum to be used by instructors to guide 

their 170-hour, 12-week pre-apprenticeship TOP, designed to prepare women for union 

apprenticeship entry exams and interviews. CWIT in-house staff collaborated with building 

trades’ union representatives and reviewed requirements and testing standards for entry into 

union apprenticeship programs in the development of their curriculum. Employing a slightly 

different strategy, MDC identified and hired two training consultants who collaborated with local 

biotechnology employers to develop curricula for training programs on specific employerrequested topics (e.g., basics of contamination control) for incumbent workers. Project staff 

noted that these curricula can be restructured and customized to meet the needs of individual 

employers in the field. MDC’s Virtual College also worked closely with an employer’s in-house 

trainer to develop an online curriculum and training course on good documentation practices for 

biotechnology employees. JobPath provided support to Pima Community College for the 

development of an introduction to biotechnology curriculum. It was created initially for use in a 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 39 
summer program designed to expose interested high school students to careers in the field. 

Future plans called for this curriculum to be offered at the college as an introductory course for 

the biotechnology certificate program. 

Creation of career ladders or competency models. Five grantees either developed new 

career ladders and/or competency models or worked with partners to enhance or solidify models 

already in some stage of development. CGCC developed a career ladder program for employees 

in nursing (box 3.10). Although the biotechnology certificate program at Pima Community 

College was in place before the award of the HGJTI grant, Job Path supported the college in 

establishing a career ladder in biotechnology through funding for development of the 

Biotechnology Summer Institute for high school students and the introductory course for the 

program. 

Box 3.10 

Columbia Gorge Community College: Creating Multiple Entry Points to Career Ladders 

One component of the CGCC project was the development of a health and nursing career ladder with 

multiple entry points. Interested students were able to progress from certified nursing assistant (CNA) to a 

bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN)/registered nurse (RN), mostly within the CGCC’s own program. 

This was accomplished by building the CNAÆcertified medical assistant (CMA)ÆLPNÆADN pathway 

through its own course offerings and creating a partnership with the state university so ADNs could 

transfer to their BSN program. In addition, CGCC established partnerships with employers to enable 

graduates to find jobs more easily in the region. 

Development of credentials, certifications, or degree programs. Five of the six 

grantees either developed new credentials, certifications, or degrees associated with their training 

programs or contributed to the improvement or further establishment of such credentials or 

programs already in place. For example, CGCC developed and supported five training programs 

in health occupations, including a two-year training program for RNs, which culminates in an 

associate’s degree in nursing. Other programs for CNAs, CMAs, EMTs, and first responders 

result in a certification for participants who successfully complete the program requirements. 

Delgado Community College, as part of the LDOL grant, provides safety training for incumbent 

offshore oil and gas rig workers that includes both classroom and hands-on instruction. 

Participants who complete the training received a certification that, in some cases, could result in 

a move to a higher pay rate. MDC’s training for incumbent workers on various topic areas (e.g., 

good manufacturing and documentation practices) also provides certifications of completion. As 

noted above, Pima Community College’s certificate in biotechnology program was developed 

before this grant. However, JobPath’s support of the students and the program is credited with 

keeping the students enrolled as well as establishing the program, raising its visibility in the 

community, and helping it grow. 

Design or use of new instructional techniques or technologies. Four of the six grantees 

either created their own instructional techniques or technologies or used new ones as part of their 

capacity-building efforts. As described in box 3.11, CGCC staff developed a new simulation 

laboratory or “sim center” intended to replicate clinical settings for nursing students. Similarly, 

40 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
HPTC provided both classroom training and hands-on instruction on an oil and gas drilling 

simulator, set up with the assistance of local employers. Using another form of new technology, 

MDC grantee staff worked with the college’s Virtual College team and an employer partner’s inhouse trainer to develop an online training course on good documentation practices for 

incumbent IPM technicians. This course, which can be accessed by an employee in his or her 

office or workstation, includes videotaped presentations, lessons, examples, practice tests, and 

exams, and it eliminates the need for the in-person presence of an instructor at a training session. 

On a somewhat smaller scale, other grantees used new technology for both instructional purposes 

and to provide information about job opportunities. As described above, CWIT staff participated 

in Web seminars to share information about new opportunities for women in the construction 

trades in general and, more specifically, about their pre-apprenticeship program.

Box 3.11 

Columbia Gorge Community College: Instituting New Training Technology 

As part of its grant activities, CGCC developed a simulation laboratory or “sim center” to provide 

simulated clinical experience for nursing students. Project staff noted that the lab is especially useful in 

rural settings where limited in-hospital or in-facility clinical teaching opportunities are available. The lab 

equipment includes a computer-controlled “patient” or dummy that simulates vital signs and sounds and 

provides students with the ability to practice checking pulse, taking blood, and other activities. The lab is 

also available to local hospitals and other facilities for staff development or training. 

Expansion of number of training program slots. Grant activities implemented by five of 

the six grantees resulted in an increase in the overall number of available slots or openings in 

training programs in the target industry. Subcontracts awarded through the LDOL HGJTI project 

funded new on-the-job training slots in the Gulf Coast region to move workers quickly into 

entry-level jobs as pipe fitters, ship fitters, and welders. Similarly, HPTC provided new slots for 

both classroom training and hands-on instruction in the oil and gas drilling field, and it replicated 

its training program at a satellite site housed at a community college. 

Increased number of certified instructors. Although some grantees reported difficulties 

identifying and retaining appropriately qualified instructors for their training components, only 

one grantee pursued efforts to expand the number of certified instructors in their targeted 

industry. MDC worked closely with an employer partner’s training instructor on the 

development of an online training program curriculum and then trained that instructor to become 

an adjunct faculty member of the Virtual College. Plans were also under way to train other MDC 

faculty members in the Virtual College online instructional program. 

Expansion of training alternatives to access new or untapped labor pools. Five of the 

six grantees pursued efforts to expand postsecondary training alternatives to include 

apprenticeship and community college workforce development programs to access new or 

untapped labor pools. JobPath used grant monies to partner with a local community college in 

developing a summer program to expose high school students to career opportunities in the 

growing biotechnology sector. CWIT’s HGJTI project focused on efforts to educate women 

about employment opportunities in the construction trades and to prepare them for entry into 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 41 
42 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

union-sponsored apprenticeship programs, an area in which they are underrepresented. CGCC 

developed outreach materials in Spanish and collaborated with La Clinica, a local communitybased organization, in an effort to attract local Hispanics into their training programs. 

Results of Capacity-Building Activities 

The outcomes of the capacity-building efforts are not being measured in any quantifiable way, 

but some observations about the results or, in some cases, products of these activities are 

possible. Among the six grantees, some activities resulted in tangible, transferable products that 

can be shared with and replicated by other similar organizations, often through technical 

assistance. Somewhat different, but still notable, outcomes of capacity-building efforts include 

the development of new or expansion of existing partnerships with other key training providers 

in the workforce system, such as employers, unions, WIBs, and educational institutions. Table 

3.8 summarizes outcomes and results of capacity-building activities for the six grantees. 

TABLE 3.8: OUTCOMES AND PRODUCTS FROM CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES 

Tangible/Transferable Products New/Improved Partnerships 

HGJTI Grantee 

Outreach 

Materials 

New/Revised 

Curricula 

and/or Other 

Training 

Materials 

New 

Training 

Equipment/ 

Facilities 

Evaluation 

Reports 

New 

Partnerships 

with 

Employers 

and Unions 

New 

Partnerships 

with 

WIBs 

New 

Partnerships with 

Educational 

Entities 

Chicago Women in 

Trades 9 9 9 9 9 9

Columbia Gorge 

Community College 9 9 9 9

High Plains Technology 

Center 9 9 9 9

JobPath, Inc. 9 9 9 9 9

Louisiana Department of 

Labor 9 9 9 9

Miami-Dade College 9 9 9

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

Tangible/transferable products. All six grantees developed at least one lasting product 

as a result of the capacity-building activities implemented as part of the grant. Examples of this 

type of product include new outreach materials (e.g., DVDs, CDs, brochures, posters, flyers, 

informational Web sites, PowerPoint presentations), training curricula or other instructional 

materials (e.g., training manuals), training equipment or facilities (e.g., simulation training 

laboratories), or summary reports completed by local evaluators.18 The common link among 

these products is that all of them can be modified and reused by the grantee in future initiatives, 

and they can be shared with other organizations interested in replicating the efforts of the 

grantee. Thus, the legacy value of these products is their ability to simplify and guide the way for 

 

18 These grantees used HGTJI grant funds for purchasing new equipment or build new facilities. They were able to 

use funding that was leveraged from other sources (e.g., other government grants, employer or industry 

contributions) to contribute to the overall capacity-building effort. 
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 43 

additional programs of this kind. For example, JobPath’s introduction to biotechnology 

curriculum will be used in both a summer program for high school students as well as an 

introductory course for the biotechnology certificate program offered through a community 

college. Both programs are expected to continue operation locally after the grant period ends but 

have also sparked interest from other educational institutions considering implementing similar 

efforts. JobPath has also secured the services of an evaluator who is providing ongoing feedback 

on outcomes for participants in the summer program. The findings from her periodic reports are 

being used to refine both recruitment and instructional strategies. 

New or improved partnerships with key training providers. A second type of outcome 

observed as a result of capacity-building activities is the creation of relationships with key 

training providers within the workforce investment system. In some cases, these partnerships 

resulted in expanded training alternatives in the community. As shown in table 3.8, partnerships 

developed in the grantee sites included those with employers and/or unions, WIBs and One-Stop 

Career Centers, and educational institutions such as community colleges or the local school 

district. In many cases, these relationships had been in place before this grant, while in some 

cases they were developed over the course of the grant. CWIT, for example, had worked closely 

with a number of WIBs, employers, and unions on similar efforts in the Chicago metropolitan 

area for a number of years before this grant. However, new relationships were developed with 

additional WIBs, unions, and community colleges in suburban areas as part of HGJTI grant 

activities. All six grantees developed partnerships with new employers as part of their capacitybuilding activities. 

D. Implementation Issues and Lessons from the Field 

Any grant program that involves mounting complex training and capacity-building initiatives 

covering widely varying geographical regions and bringing together many different partnering 

organizations during a limited grant period will encounter implementation challenges. Some of 

these challenges will be encountered early on when grantee staff are involved in intensive 

activities to launch the initiative, while others will emerge once the initiative is up and running. 

Moreover, grantees learned a number of lessons in the course of implementing their activities. 

This section summarizes, from the perspectives of the grantees visited, some key challenges and 

how grantees addressed the challenges, plans for sustaining the initiatives after the grant ends, 

and lessons for future implementation of similar efforts. 

Implementation Challenges 

When asked during site visits about major implementation challenges, all six HGJTI grantees 

reported some type of challenge. In fact, most grantees indicated that they had to overcome 

multiple challenges in implementing their initiatives. These self-reported challenges included 

difficulties in recruiting training participants, lack of experience in federal grants management, 

turf issues, and burdens of securing active cooperation on the part of other organizations that 

were vital to meeting project goals. Most of the implementation challenges identified in the first 

study of the early HGJTI implementers were also identified by grantees in this study.19 Table 3.9 

describes site by site some of the main implementation issues that HGJTI grantees had to 

 

19 For more details on implementation experiences and lessons, see Trutko et al. (2007), section III. 
overcome during startup and ongoing operation of their projects. The balance of this section is 

devoted to discussing the main implementation challenges faced by HGJTI sites and, where 

possible, how issues were resolved and lessons learned. 

TABLE 3.9. MAJOR IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES AMONG HGJTI GRANTEES 

HGJTI Grantee Major Implementation Challenges 

Chicago Women 

in Trades 

Adverse Economic Conditions. The pace of construction industry hiring slowed just when grant funds were received 

and has remained much below expectations going into this project, resulting in fewer openings in building trades 

apprenticeship programs. As a result, CWIT reduced its goal individuals trained from 950 to 450 and lengthened the 

grant period of performance by one year. 

Recruitment into Nontraditional Employment. CWIT has had to overcome lots of skepticism and stereotypes 

concerning women entering and being successful within the building trades. CWIT has also had to overcome a lack of 

awareness among women of the opportunities available in the building trades. At the start of the program, CWIT 

lacked good promotional materials, so it had to develop new outreach materials to engage the target population. 

Engaging with Workforce Investment System. Engaging WIBs and One-Stop Career Centers was sometimes 

difficult (though some have partnered enthusiastically), so CWIT had to take the initiative to make these partnerships 

happen. Some WIBs/One-Stop Career Centers feared women would find it tough to find and keep employment in 

construction. The state did not identify the construction trades as a critical skills shortage field, so WIBs were focusing 

more on other critical shortage occupations. 

Rigidity of for-Credit Educational System. The community college system tends to focus on for-credit rather than 

noncredit instruction. To partner on this effort, some community colleges had to overcome bureaucratic barriers to 

providing noncredit instruction. 

Columbia Gorge 

Community 

College 

Securing Clinical Slots. Finding clinical slots at area hospitals and health care facilities was challenging and limited 

the number of RNs that could be trained. The RN training component could not be expanded beyond 24 slots without 

additional preceptorships. To further complicate matters, one partnering hospital was considering hiring only RNs with 

four-year nursing degrees (versus two-year associate’s degree RNs); this proposed change would be a sharp blow to 

the CGCC nursing program, resulting in loss of clinical preceptor slots, cash/in-kind contributions from the hospital, 

and a potential workplace for graduating RNs. 

Insufficient Supply of Nursing Faculty. Attracting and keeping nursing faculty was a major challenge. Faculty can 

often earn more working as a nurse, so it can be difficult to hold onto faculty. 

Inability to Collect on Pledges of Support. Several health care facilities that originally made annual pledges of cash 

contributions to support the health careers training programs at CGCC have run into financial constraints and so have 

not fully met original pledges, necessitating use of CGCC general operating funds to offset the cost of training. 

Lack of Procurement and Federal Grant Expertise. CGCC lacked on-staff expertise to set up systems to meet 

federal grant requirements and to effectively procure expensive equipment for the nursing simulation training 

laboratory. CGCC brought on a staff person to fill these roles and was able to tighten up procedures in these two 

important areas. 

High Plains 

Technology 

Center 

Insufficient Supply of Instructors. Finding and keeping instructors with hands-on experience in the oil and gas 

industry proved a key challenge. Since instructors can secure high salaries at firms in the industry, it is difficult to find 

and retain good instructors. During the course of the grant, five instructors were replaced after leaving for jobs in the 

industry.

JobPath, Inc. Project Staff Turnover. Changes in key personnel at Pima Community College slowed progress early on. A lead staff 

person behind the development of the biotechnology certificate program moved to another position, so some of the 

institutional knowledge and momentum was lost. 

Recruitment. Enrollment in the biotechnology program was less than expected; the college inadvertently omitted 

descriptions of the courses in one version of the course catalog, and the courses were scheduled during the day as 

opposed to evening hours, making it difficult for many students to attend. Since the enrollment in these classes was 

low, the grant scope of work was modified to include support for students in histology and medical laboratory 

technician programs. 

Employer Links. JobPath expected to receive cash for internship stipends and in-kind support from TGEN, a 

biotechnology employer. However, because TGEN is headquartered in Phoenix, students were unwilling or unable to 

travel that distance for internships and, as a result, the employer support did not materialize. 

44 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 45 

HGJTI Grantee Major Implementation Challenges 

Louisiana 

Department of 

Labor 

Adverse Environmental Conditions. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed much of the infrastructure and many 

businesses in Louisiana’s Gulf Coast region. Lack of infrastructure and slow pace of rebuilding and recovery 

complicated efforts to implement the wide range of training programs. Displacement of families and loss of housing 

contributed to difficulties in recruiting training participants, and at times, led to attrition in training programs. 

Lost Documentation. Local contracted grantees and WIBs indicated that sometimes it was very difficult to meet basic 

documentation requirements for enrolling individuals in training since some individuals lost identification documents as 

a result of the hurricanes. 

Data System Problems. Getting information into the state’s data system for tracking purposes proved a burden for 

some contractors. For example, Delgado Community College (DCC) provided safety training for 30 to 40 offshore oil 

and gas workers under a contract, but it could not charge these individuals to the grant because they had not been 

entered into the state’s system before receiving the training. This was the result of delays in getting the One-Stop 

Career Center staff to gather client data and enter it into the state system (i.e., DCC could not do this on its own). 

Miami-Dade 

College 

Securing Employer Support. The two employers tapped for major partnerships for the grant experienced situations 

that held up their involvement. One major partner experienced a merger at the start of the grant and was unable to 

move ahead with the partnership and cash contribution right away. The other expected partner had difficulties 

completing its facility on time, and the move was delayed. Once one partner was able to move forward and a new 

employer partner was recruited, activities on the grant begun. 

Hiring Key Project Staff. Hiring a program manager for the grant took almost a year; grant activities moved quickly 

once he started. 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

Lack of experience in federal grants management. One challenge encountered by 

several sites was a lack of prior grantee or staff experience in federal grants management. Some 

grantees had no prior organizational experience in managing a large federal grant and found that 

it was more complicated than anticipated to administer the grant to meet federal government 

requirements. In addition, because of pressure to get HGJTI grants up and running quickly, 

grantee staff had to move forward with implementation despite their lack of knowledge on how 

to manage the grant. Some of the selected grantees received assistance from their federal 

monitors in dealing with grant requirements. 

Similarly, several grantees in the study of 20 early implementers indicated that they had 

no prior organizational experience in managing a large federal grant and found that it was much 

more complicated than anticipated to administer the grant to meet federal government 

requirements. In addition, because of the importance of the HGJTI grants, grantee staff indicated 

that they had to move forward with implementation despite their lack of knowledge on how to 

manage the grant. A number of these early implementers noted that ETA staff provided valuable 

guidance and support to HGJTI grantees during the implementation period, but also noted that 

they needed more management-focused technical assistance sooner. 20 

As noted in the example below, some grantees were confused about requirements, made 

mistakes early on, and in some instances, had to bring aboard new staff with prior federal grants 

management experience to sort out difficulties and make sure they were in compliance with grant 

requirements (see box 3.12). 

 

20 For additional discussion, see Trutko et al. (2007), pages 19–20.
Box 3.12 

 Columbia Gorge Community College: Addressing Startup Challenges 

According to the CGCC interviewees, the development of the nursing and health occupations program 

was “a big leap” for a small college. Startup was “painful at times” as the college did not have the 

necessary infrastructure or personnel needed to manage a federal grant of this size. Many meetings were 

held at first. There was also a need to add staff expertise on how to procure the equipment for a nursing 

simulation laboratory, which was mostly funded out of grants CGCC leveraged. Current CGCC staff 

determined that to be successful, the project needed to bring on a new staff person with procurement and 

federal grants management expertise. There was a sense of relief when this new administrative staff 

person was brought on to the project team. Procurement of the equipment for the lab and development of 

data systems needed to meet federal reporting requirements moved forward smoothly and effectively once 

this staff person was brought on board. 

Difficulties recruiting or retaining appropriate staff. Effective and timely implementation 

of HGJTI grants depended considerably on grantees being able to recruit and hold onto 

appropriate staff for the period of performance of the grant (in most cases, about two years). In 

interviews, several grantees noted that they had encountered some difficulties recruiting and 

assembling staff with the requisite blend of experience and expertise needed to launch their 

initiatives in a timely and effective manner. For example, at the time of the site visit, CGCC was 

actively recruiting for two nursing faculty positions but was finding it difficult to find instructors 

who both met the college’s hiring requirements and were willing to accept a salary that was less 

than what they would likely earn as a practicing RN at an area hospital or nursing home. Other 

grantees experienced difficulties with retaining staff—particularly instructional staff—

throughout the grant period (see box 3.13 for an example). 

Box 3.13 

High Plains Technology Center: Finding and Retaining Training Instructors 

The High Plains Technology Center—part of a statewide network of training centers responsible for 

providing instruction under this grant—indicated that its main challenge in administering its HGJTI grant 

was difficulty finding and keeping instructors with hands-on experience in the oil and gas industry. Since 

instructors can secure competitive salaries at firms in the industry (often with opportunities for much 

overtime to swell earnings), it is difficult to find and retain good instructors with the hands-on experience 

needed to provide effective instruction. During the course of the grant, five instructors had to be replaced 

after leaving for high-paying jobs within the oil and gas industry. 

Continuity of staff is a critical ingredient in the overall success of innovative initiatives 

such as those mounted under HGJTI. Low rates of staff attrition are particularly important in 

grant programs such as HGJTI because of the relatively short period over which grant activities 

must be completed. Difficulty hiring or staff turnover can be a particular problem when it affects 

leadership positions (especially a project director). For example, at MDC, hiring a program 

manager for the grant took almost a year; once the project manager was brought on board, grant 

startup and recruitment activities moved along quickly. When key staff leave, it can take several 

46 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 47 

months or longer to recruit replacement staff and have them gain the on-the-job experience 

needed to be effective in their new positions. It can also be difficult to hold onto staff in later 

stages of the grant period, particularly if other funding sources are not secured well before the 

expiration of grant funds. 

Difficulties recruiting or retaining participants in HGJTI training programs. Training 

programs mounted under HGJTI grants were targeted on widely varying subpopulations across 

grantees. For example, some initiatives targeted entry-level workers, while others sought to 

recruit incumbent workers or unemployed/dislocated workers. Most of the six programs visited 

sought to recruit individuals interested in entering a specific industry. For example, CWIT 

targeted women exclusively and sought to bring new workers into nontraditional employment in 

the building trades. Under the HPTC initiative, recruitment was targeted on bringing new 

workers into the oil and gas industry (as floor hand/derrick hands for oil and gas drilling or floor 

hands for well servicing). At the time of the site visits, five of the six sites had reached or 

exceeded their goals for recruitment into training, and the sixth site (CWIT), appeared on its way 

to meeting its revised goal for training (which had been reduced through a grant modification 

with ETA from 950 to 450 individuals). 

Several programs experienced little difficulty in meeting enrollment goals and were able 

to recruit the types of individuals they originally targeted in sufficient numbers. Several other 

grantees, while eventually meeting their recruitment goals, struggled with meeting recruitment 

goals because of difficulties reaching out to and generating interest in the targeted population or 

because the pool of individuals targeted turned out to be relatively small. Several grantees 

experienced changes in environmental conditions (especially economic circumstances) that 

altered the size of the targeted population during the grant period. For example, as shown in box 

3.14, CWIT struggled to meet its enrollment goals because of inherent difficulties in overcoming 

lack of awareness and interest of women in a nontraditional field (such as construction), as well 

as a downturn in the construction industry. The devastation wrought by Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita complicated efforts to initially get locally contracted training projects up and running in the 

Gulf Coast region and engage potential training prospects in a range of training projects funded 

under HGJTI. 

Several HGJTI grantees struggled with retaining program participants once they were 

involved in training activities.21 Attrition from training programs stemmed from various factors, 

including lack of selectivity during the recruitment process, disinterest on the part of individuals 

once enrolled in training, insufficient basic or foundational skills to be able to effectively master 

the training curriculum being delivered, and other intervening personal factors (e.g., illness, 

family circumstances, and moving to other locales because of a lack of affordable housing or 

employment). 

 

21 As shown earlier in table 3.6, while over 90 percent of those enrolled in training activities completed training in 

three sites (CGCC, HPTC, and MDC), 72 percent completed training under the LDOL grant, 68 percent (through 

August 2007) had completed training under the CWIT grant, and about 25 percent of those enrolled completed 

training under the JobPath, Inc. project., Activities were still under way at CWIT and JobPath at the time of the site 

visits so retention rates are likely to change. 
Box 3.14 

Chicago Women in Trades and Louisiana Department of Labor: 

Addressing Challenges in Recruiting Participants 

The main challenge faced by CWIT is that recruitment and entry into its TOP pre-apprenticeship training 

program has lagged behind what was originally planned. The pace of construction industry hiring has 

slowed and is much below expectations going into this project. This has resulted in fewer openings in 

apprenticeship programs. CWIT has, as a result, reduced its goals for numbers to be trained under the 

initiative—from 950 to 450—and lengthened the grant period of performance by one year (through a nocost extension). In addition, in its recruitment efforts, as well as getting those completing training into 

apprenticeship programs, CWIT had to overcome skepticism and stereotypes concerning women entering 

and being successful within the building trades. All along, it has been necessary to fight preconceived 

views about the difficulties that women are likely to encounter within the building trades—starting with 

prospective candidates, to union officials, to WIBs/One-Stop Career Center staff, to employers. CWIT 

also had to overcome a lack of awareness among the women of the opportunities available in the building 

trades (e.g., good employment prospects, high wages, fringe benefits, training, and interesting/rewarding 

work). To address these issues, CWIT devoted significant time and resources to an extensive public 

relations campaign to get the word out about the construction trades. 

According to LDOL officials, gaining commitments to enter training programs was initially difficult 

because many people received unemployment insurance and had unstable housing circumstances. 

According to local WIB staff in the Gulf Coast region (responsible for contracting out to a number of 

local training providers under the grant), the lack of affordable housing complicated efforts to both recruit 

and retain workers in training programs. For example, many who had returned to the area had families 

living in other areas of Louisiana, in Texas, and elsewhere. These individuals were waiting (in some 

cases) until houses and schools were rebuilt before bringing their families back. They often commuted 

back and forth to see their families and so were unwilling or reluctant to commit to training programs 

until their housing and personal circumstances were more settled. In addition, some potential participants 

had lost identification as a result of the loss of their housing during Hurricane Katrina, which complicated 

efforts to meet documentation requirements under the grant (and in obtaining other supportive services 

that would facilitate enrollment in training under the grant or WIA). 

Grantees noted the importance of careful early assessment to determine each candidate’s 

capabilities and appropriateness for training, as well as his or her inherent interests in pursuing a 

career in the particular occupation for which training was being provided. For example, as shown 

in box 3.15, CWIT initiated a three-part assessment process to ensure that individuals were truly 

interested in entering the building trades and would have the level of commitment needed to 

withstand the lengthy (up to five years) apprenticeship training process, and that they had the 

physical stamina and resolve to stay in the construction trades over the long term (e.g., in the 

face of potential harassment on construction sites from other workers). To guard against attrition 

later on, CWIT wanted to make sure that women participants “knew what they were getting into” 

when they decided to enter a nontraditional field. 

48 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
Box 3.15 

Chicago Women in Trades: Assessing Participants to Reduce Attrition 

To avoid attrition during its training program and once individuals entered lengthy pre-apprenticeship 

programs, CWIT instituted a three-step assessment process: 

• Aptitude test. CWIT administers a 11⁄2 hour test based on testing done for entry into apprenticeship 

programs; the test measures basic mathematics and reading capabilities (with a particular focus on 

basic math skills like multiplication and fractions). Individuals who score poorly on the test are 

generally not admitted to the CWIT’s pre-apprenticeship program. 

• Physical agility test. This test is to check the physical fitness of applicants; it includes pushups, 

jumping jacks, sit-ups, lifting and carrying 50 pounds, and climbing a ladder. This test is intended 

more as a “reality check” for participants; some drop out at this point either because they do not show 

up for the test or because they realize that the strenuous nature of construction jobs is not for them. 

• “Discussion of interest.” A short in-person interview is conducted with the applicant by a CWIT staff 

person and a person involved in the building trades (e.g., union representative, employer, a 

construction trades worker). A key focus is on understanding why the individual wants to enter the 

construction trades and her likelihood of being able to qualify for an apprenticeship program upon 

completion of TOP. A “score” is given to the participant at the end of the interview, and those with 

poor scores are typically not admitted to TOP. 

Tight schedule for grant completion. Most grantees worked under the constraints of 

completing their grants within about a two-year period (except the LDOL, which initially had a 

one-year grant). Several grantees indicated that the two-year grant period was tight in terms of 

initiating their grants, recruiting staff and participants, providing training or developing capacitybuilding tools, tracking participants for a reasonable period after training completion, and 

making a concerted effort to secure new resources to sustain projects once grant funds had been 

exhausted. As evidenced by the fact that two of six grantees visited requested and received 

extensions to their grant periods of performance, the original grant periods were short 

considering the broad grant objectives and the often lengthy list of tasks and activities to be 

performed. 

Complexities of partnering with employers and other organizations. One fundamental 

goal of the HGJTI was to spur the formation of meaningful and long-term partnerships between 

the workforce investment system, local community colleges and other training institutions, 

employers, and a range of other organizations within a locality or region. From our interviews 

and review of documents, it is apparent that HGJTI grantees have sought out a wide array of 

partners to strengthen their initiatives. The project descriptions (included in Attachment A) attest 

to the proliferation of partnering arrangements that have resulted from the HGJTI initiatives. 

These partnerships have helped strengthen initiatives by leveraging additional resources, 

expanding the range of training and other services that can be delivered to participants, and 

helping to assure sustainability after HGJTI grant resources have been expended. At the same 

time, the grantees interviewed indicated that there were complexities and some costs associated 

with collaboration. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 49 
Grantees cited a number of obstacles to coordination and ongoing costs to such 

partnerships. Several sites reported difficulties engaging some area employers, either for 

providing hands-on training experience (e.g., through internships) or for obtaining promised cash 

or in-kind contributions. Box 3.16 provides details about difficulties that the CGCC encountered 

in obtaining cash contributions from several of its employer partners, as well as concerns that 

plans to change hiring requirements for RNs could eliminate opportunities for clinical internships 

and job placement. This box also provides details concerning similar difficulties that the JobPath 

project encountered in securing in-kind support from a key employer. 

All grantees provided some description of how they would work with or partner with the 

workforce investment system, mainly WIBs, to implement their HGJTI projects. However, the 

intensity in which WIBs participated in grant activities varied among grantees. CWIT 

experienced mixed results in its efforts to engage the 11 WIBs and 19 One-Stop Career Centers 

in its service area (in and surrounding Chicago) for several reasons. First, WIBs and One-Stop 

Career Centers were not required to partner in this effort. Adding to the difficulties was the fact 

that the state had not identified the construction trades as one of the high-skill/high-demand 

sectors. In addition, CWIT was not on the eligible training provider list, and its TOP training 

effort was not for credit (and did not lead to certification), which further complicated efforts to 

partner with the workforce investment system. Despite these challenges, CWIT was able to 

engage WIBs (and the One-Stops Career Centers) in 3 of the 11 counties. 

Box 3.16 

Columbia Gorge Community College and JobPath, Inc.: 

Securing Matching Funds and Leveraging Resources 

CGCC has been able to leverage significant amounts of funding through in-kind and cash contributions 

by hospitals and other health care facilities (e.g., matched and leveraged amounts exceed the HGJTI 

grant). However, three health care facilities that originally pledged cash contributions to support training 

under the HGJTI have run into financial difficulties and have not been able to fully meet their original 

pledges. In addition, several area hospitals and nursing homes have provided essential clinical internship 

slots for the RN and CNA training programs. One area hospital, however, is considering hiring only RNs 

with four-year degrees (BSNs), which could be a potentially sharp blow to the associate’s degree RN 

program funded (in part) under the HGJTI grant. If this key employer partner limited hiring to nurses with 

BSNs, this change would translate into a loss of sizeable numbers of clinical internships for the RN 

training program, as well as a place where program graduates have sought employment. At the time the 

grant application was written, JobPath expected to receive cash for internship stipends and in-kind 

support from one biotechnology employer. However, because the employer is headquartered in Phoenix, 

students were unwilling or unable to travel that distance for internships and that support did not 

materialize. Most of the larger biotechnology employers are located in and around Phoenix, which makes 

developing links difficult. 

Complexities of administering program across vast areas, including rural areas. Under 

HGJTI, grantees were encouraged to bring together partners and initiate grant activities over 

expansive geographic regions. While some grantees limited grant activities to a single local 

workforce area (such as the HGJTI projects mounted by JobPath, Inc., and MDC), the other four 

projects visited were regional. For example, the CGCC served training participants across a 

50 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 51 

seven-county area in Washington and Oregon, and the HPTC recruited individuals interested in 

training for entry-level floor hand jobs in the oil and gas industry across a four-state area that 

included all of Oklahoma, southwest Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, and western Arkansas. Staff 

reported that it was difficult and costly to bring together partnering organizations when they 

stretch across several states or where certain partners are located in remote, rural areas. In 

addition, multisite initiatives encountered different challenges when operating in urban versus 

rural areas. Using training initiatives as an example, problems of scale and availability of training 

facilities in sparsely populated rural areas differ from those encountered in urban areas. 

Plans for Sustainability 

At the time of the site visits, all six grants were still in operation, so analysis of the post-grant 

activities is not possible. However, all six grantees had plans to sustain either all or part of their 

programs.

22 

Similarly, the earlier report on the 20 HGJTI early implementers found that these 

grantees had moved aggressively in identifying and securing funding while the grants were still 

under way to maintain and, in some cases, expand the efforts begun under their HGJTI grant. Of 

the 20 HGJTI grants included in the early implementer study, 8 had continued the activities 

developed under their HGJTI grants in a similar form and scale, while 10 others had continued 

activities conducted under their HGJTI grants but in a somewhat modified form or at a smaller or 

larger scale. Only two had ceased activities begun with grant funds, and both were seeking new 

resources to support the activities continuously. The majority of the early HGJTI grantees had 

garnered additional funds to sustain their programs. At least 5 of the 20 had received another 

HGJTI grant, meaning it is not yet possible to know whether the projects will ultimately be 

sustained after the final HGJTI grant. Three of the grantees examined had obtained industry 

association or union funds, or have received approval from their management and governing 

boards to use some of the organization’s own internal funds. Almost all (five) of the HGJTIfunded projects were continuing with WIA funds, usually using WIA funds to leverage and 

blend other resources (e.g., employer contributions, Individual Training Accounts (ITAs) and 

Pell Grants for training, college and private investments, state workforce investment 

discretionary funds, and private foundations). 

The six grantees were mainly concerned with finding continuing funding sources for their 

training programs. Staff at CGCC have currently secured funding for the 2007–2008 academic 

year using some funding from its foundation and continued funding from area health care 

facilities. MDC also expected to continue its incumbent worker training program after the end of 

the grant in June 2008 through employer payments and in-kind contributions of space for 

training and instructors. HPTC expects to approach local employers and industry associations 

about providing financial support to the training effort to continue in the future. Some training 

programs started by LDOL will continue with employer funding of training at the community 

colleges. 

 

22 See Trutko et al. (2007), pages 21–27. 
52 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

Other grantees are working with their state legislatures and city government to secure 

funding for program continuation. CWIT will receive $650,000 from a newly funded $6.2 

million training program passed by the state legislature. HPTC has written a $768,000 proposal 

to the state legislature to continue the program after the end of the grant in November 2007. 

JobPath receives $500,000 in annual funding for its training programs, and staff hope this will 

continue to support the biotechnology program. JobPath staff are also talking to the state 

workforce commission to secure additional funding. 

According to some grantees, the HGJTI grant has allowed them to build a reputation and 

strengthen partnerships between employers, community colleges, and the workforce investment 

system. For example, MDC has been able to build a strong reputation with local industrial 

pharmaceutical manufacturers as the local trainer for the industry and will continue to do so with 

its degree program. According to employers interviewed, CGCC maintains great working 

relationships with employers because the community college has been able to help these 

facilities hire and retain skilled health care workers that graduate from its program (see box 

3.17). 

LDOL has also been able to help create new partnerships that will last beyond the grant. 

Before the grant, community colleges and the WIA systems in Louisiana were not very involved 

with each other. Now, with the HGJTI grant and other grants received as a result of the 2005 

hurricanes, extensive collaboration between the two systems has occurred and a strong 

partnership has grown. CWIT has also created strong partnerships with area community colleges 

and is encouraging the colleges to seek accreditation for the construction training programs being 

used under the HGJTI grant. 

Accomplishments and Lessons 

The six HGJTI grantees visited for this study were asked to share the accomplishments they 

achieved and lessons they drew from the experience. The accomplishments they highlighted 

included both the training and capacity-building efforts for their HGJTI projects. The lessons 

they learned from implementing their HGJTI-funded projects involved developing partnerships, 

new ways of training, staffing, curriculum development, leveraging of resources, and adapting to 

changing economic conditions. The following section describes these accomplishments and 

lessons so others implementing similar training and capacity-building projects can learn from 

their experiences. 

Grantee accomplishments. All grantees named more than one accomplishment of 

their HGJTI project. The accomplishments reported by the HGJTI grantees are presented in table 

3.10.23 

Two grantees indicated that one key accomplishment was the volume of people they 

trained. CGCC provided training to more than 600 individuals (including 217 CNAs and 36 RNs 

to help alleviate nursing shortages within the region. MDC exceeded its goal of 918 individuals 

 

23 This section is based on grantee interviews and quarterly reports to ETA and provides a summary of the grantees’ 

accounts of their accomplishments. A future report will provide an analysis that will validate the early training 

outcomes of the grant programs. 
who completed the program; the program will continue to expand the number over the next year 

as the grant continues. 

Three grantees indicated that the level of success experienced by their training graduates 

was a major accomplishment. The CWIT trainees who secured an apprenticeship after 

completing the pre-apprenticeship program were able to raise their hourly wage to an average of 

$17.62. It is anticipated that the wages for these trainees will increase as they progress through 

their apprenticeship training. HPTC trainees were able to improve their employment prospects in 

the upstream oil and gas industry. For example, floor hands were able to earn $14–$18 an hour 

and could move up to derrick hands, who earn around $26 an hour. There were also plenty of job 

opportunities for these trainees to pursue. In addition, JobPath graduates were able to find wellpaying jobs quickly. 

While the training accomplishments can be measured in numbers of individuals 

completing training, job placement, and wages, some capacity-building accomplishments named 

by the six grantees are often less tangible. CWIT has been able to expand the knowledge of 

building trades among their target population, low-income women, as well as increase awareness 

among workforce investment system professionals that women are a large and generally 

untapped source of potential workers for the high-paying jobs within the construction industry. 

HPTC was able to bring new workers into the upstream oil and gas industry and to gain positive 

feedback from employers hiring their trainees. 

Establishing partnerships were another often cited accomplishment by the grantees. For 

example, LDOL indicated that the HGJTI grant enabled the local WIBs to work closely with and 

forge stronger partnerships with both employers and the community college system. MDC staff 

also indicated that they were able to develop strong partnerships with employers in an emerging 

industry that will keep the incumbent worker training program going in the future. 

Other capacity-building accomplishments are more concrete, such as curriculum 

development and the establishment of career ladders and training programs. Three grantees 

(CGCC, HPTC, and MDC) named curriculum development as one of their major 

accomplishments. Two grantees (CGCC and MDC) also mentioned their ability to use new 

technologies to deliver the training curricula as an accomplishment. In addition, two of the 

grantees (CGCC and JobPath) indicated they were able to create new career ladders in their 

industry of focus. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 53 
TABLE 3.10: HGJTI GRANTEES’ VIEWS ON KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

HGJTI Grantee Training Capacity Building 

Chicago Women in 

Trades 

• Success of those completing the program 

in passing apprenticeship entrance tests 

and securing an apprenticeship 

• Increased the hourly wage of trainees 

who enter into apprenticeship to an 

average of $17.62 

• Expanded knowledge of the building trades of lowincome women 

• Created much greater awareness within the 

workforce investment system of the job 

opportunities in construction and in apprenticeship 

Columbia Gorge 

Community College 

• Provision of high-quality training to more 

than 600 individuals 

• Alleviated shortages of RNs and CNAs within the 

region 

• Developed local health care occupations program 

to train local residents for local jobs 

• Created a viable health care career ladder 

• Installed the simulation laboratory, which has 

become a recognized center for providing health 

care training in the region 

• Created and upgraded curriculum for its CNA, RN, 

and other health career training programs 

High Plains 

Technology Center 

• Good employment prospects for those 

trained 

• Brought new workers into the oil and gas industry 

• Received positive feedback and support from 

employers about the program 

• Developed curriculum and other materials that are 

being replicated in other locations 

JobPath, Inc. • Success of current graduates in job 

placement and receipt of high wages 

• Has been very successful in interesting youth in 

biotech 

• Developed a career ladder in the biosciences 

Louisiana 

Department of 

Labor 

• Initiated training programs through 26 

contracts in high-demand occupations 

critical to supplying manpower to 

recovering businesses 

• Helped area businesses address the immediate 

needs for workers and avoid closing down 

• Enabled WIBs to work closely with and forge 

stronger partnerships with both employers and the 

community college system 

Miami-Dade 

College 

• Exceeded its goal of 918 completers and 

will continue to expand the number over 

the next year 

• Developed partnerships with employers and 

industry in an emerging industry 

• Created new curricula and was able to customize it 

to employer needs 

• Used new technology to deliver training 

• Success of the training program has helped to 

build the credibility of the grantee 

SOURCES: ETA GRANT AGREEMENTS, GRANTEE QUARTERLY REPORTS, AND 2007 SITE VISITS. 

54 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 55 

Lessons from HGJTI grantees. In an effort to share knowledge about developing 

industry-focused projects to train workers and build workforce capacity, the six grantees were 

asked to share the lessons they had learned through their implementation experiences. These 

lessons were somewhat similar to those of the early implementer grantees interviewed in June 

2006.24 

• Employers are important partners in implementing all aspects of an industry-driven 

project. Overwhelmingly, these grantees said that employers were key to the success 

of these projects. They were needed to: secure funding and other resources; provide 

advice and feedback on curriculum and training program development; develop 

career awareness in a particular industry; provide on-the-job training or internships; 

help recruit or provide employees as instructors; and hire trainees (after completion of 

training), among others. In addition, HGJTI grantees indicated that the earlier 

employers were engaged in project activities, the more invested they became in the 

project. 

• New training technologies should be explored and used to provide better training 

delivery mechanisms. CGCC and MDC used new technology for delivering training 

to help overcome several common training program issues. For CGCC, the project 

staff built and developed scenarios for a simulation laboratory that provided clinical 

experiences for students. MDC used its Virtual College to develop online training for 

good documentation practices in biomanufacturing so the instructor could reach more 

trainees without having to leave his office. 

• Hiring key project staff with knowledge of the industry and of federal grants will 

make implementation easier. Several grantees indicated that having the right staff 

in place made the project run more smoothly. For CGCC, their key project staff 

included two former nurses as instructors that knew both the health care industry and 

the standards to which the curriculum would be held by state boards. MDC was able 

to move quickly on its grant activity startup once it hired a project director who had 

operated similar government-funded training programs. 

• Instructors from the industry are needed, but they can be difficult to retain. Two 

grantees said that having instructors that were either employed by or formerly in the 

industry of focus was necessary, but that they were often lured away by companies or 

higher wages. Many HPTC instructors, who had experience as floor hands and 

derrick hands, were enticed by employers to work for them for better wages. CGCC 

had difficulty hiring enough instructors because the wages provided by employers 

were much higher than the college could offer. 

• Projects need to be flexible to respond to changes in the external environment.

MDC and CWIT had to respond to changing conditions to ensure that their projects 

would be relevant. MDC had secured an employer partner that was moving to the 

 

24 For example, while they similarly mentioned lessons learned relating to forging partnerships, and project startup 

and design issues, unlike those grantees interviewed for the early implementers study, the six grantees did not 

experience challenges of reaching and recruiting trainees or on meeting federal requirements. See Trutko et al. 

(2007), pages 9–20. 
56 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

area and needed workers before the grant was awarded. However, the employer’s 

move was delayed and new employers had to be recruited to participate in the 

incumbent worker training program to keep the project going. CWIT faced a 

downturn in the regional construction industry and had to reduce its training goals, 

but it then intensified the preparation of the trainees to ensure that they were able to 

pass their exams to obtain the “harder to come by” apprenticeship slots. 

• Resource and cash contributions, especially from employers, are difficult to 

collect, even though there is a commitment in place. Several grantees had to adapt 

their funding strategies when partners that promised cash and in-kind contributions as 

a part of their required match in the grant application were then not able to fully live 

up to that commitment. Grantees said that employers were not able to fulfill their 

financial commitments due to changing economic conditions or changes in 

organizational structure and priorities. For example, MDC, JobPath, and CGCC had 

to recruit new employer contributors to the project or rely more heavily on current 

contributors to make up the difference. In addition, changes to the required match had 

to be approved by ETA. 

• Providing hands-on training components is as important as classroom training.

Many grantees indicated that their on-the-job training, internships, and simulation 

training contributed substantially to the success of their training programs. The 

simulation laboratory developed by CGCC provided required training for the nursing 

program. The internships provided to JobPath’s biotechnology students were 

imperative to earning their certificate and providing experience for their resume. 
IV. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 

The national evaluation of the HGJTI has two major components: 

• Implementation analyses of the initiative, including a description of the national 

grants program and documentation of projects in selected grantees. The preceding 

chapters in this report present the implementation analysis, and an earlier report 

addressed the structure and implementation of the experiences of selected early 

grantees (many of which had reached the end of their grant period by 2006). 

• Nonexperimental statistical analyses of the early outcomes of job training in 

selected grantees using administrative data. A forthcoming report (2008) will present 

the results of these analyses. 

The descriptions and documentation of the national HGJTI and the projects implemented by 

selected grantees provide lessons about operating and evaluating such projects. This section first 

summarizes the main findings about program implementation and then discusses next steps in 

this evaluation. 

A. Summary of Implementation Analysis Findings 

The previous chapters indicate the following general points about the structure and 

implementation of the HGJTI as of mid-2007: 

• Grant activities. The HGJTI-funded projects were designed to address workforce 

challenges by providing training opportunities and building (or increasing) capacity to 

supply skilled workers for a high-growth industry. The grantees visited were all 

implementing both training and capacity-building projects with the grant funds, either 

directly sponsoring training related to target industries or funding various efforts to 

improve or expand the training capacity. These projects, though, are unique in each 

site, and each grantee has established different priorities for its projects. Training 

projects are generally small, either by design or because of recruitment difficulties, 

and range from very short term (e.g., two-week safety training courses) to very long 

term (four or more years of postsecondary course work). In addition, some grantees 

(including 6 of the 20 grantees interviewed for the early implementer report) engage 

in projects with only capacity-building activities. The capacity-building projects often 

lack measurable outcomes and are highly varied in the types and mix of activities 

they performed. 

• Use of matching funds. Obtaining matching funds from employers and other 

stakeholders and leveraging other funds created immediate partnerships with 

employers and industry as well as community colleges and the workforce investment 

system. These contributors were invested in the projects implemented, presumably to 

produce a return to the employers. The amounts of matching contributions are tracked 

by the grantees visited whose award required them to have a match, and employers 

and grantee staff describe the value of the training efforts in positive terms although 

there are no formal analyses of the return on the investments. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 57 
58 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

• Decentralization. The decentralized nature of the HGJTI and the flexibility allowed 

to grantees are key features of the overall effort. Grantees expressed appreciation for 

the discretion they had to use the funds as needed to meet employer needs, respond to 

changing economic conditions as they arise, and target training on particular 

populations such as youth, women, and low-skilled workers as well as incumbent and 

dislocated workers. The decentralized nature of the initiative also means different 

partnerships have been used. All grantees have industry or employer partnerships; 

some, but not all, involve coordination or collaboration with community colleges or 

other institutions of higher education and with local One-Stop Career Centers. 

• Data issues. Grantee and project data are being maintained on training activities and 

trainees but not consistently across grantees. In addition, aggregate data reported to 

ETA do not use standard definitions. The number of trainees can be compiled from 

grantee-level project information systems. However, for capacity-building activities, 

the wide range of strategies being developed—ranging from meetings with 

stakeholders and career awareness (e.g., Web sites, job fairs) to operating training 

facilities and developing college degree programs—means one would have to modify 

the quarterly report or conduct special data collection from all grantees to summarize 

across grantees or nationally the scope of such efforts. 

The HGJTI grantees are attempting to incorporate an understanding of the needs of workers and 

industry employers to develop customized training and capacity-building activities. Each grantee 

has developed and implemented unique projects, using the grant funds and associated matching 

resources flexibility to meet their stated purposes. Training projects are relatively small and 

target various types of workers, industries, and occupations, and range from very short-term to 

relatively long-term. 

B. Next Steps in Evaluation 

The HGJTI represents a major federal initiative intended to encourage the development of 

projects that meet the needs of businesses and industries involved in high-growth sectors. The 

implementation of the projects funded with those grants provides lessons about training 

approaches that meet employer needs and about ways to improve the overall capacity to meet the 

needs for workers in high-growth sectors. The projects funded by the HGJTI also provide insight 

into how such projects can be evaluated. The implementation analysis presented in this report 

will be complemented with a nonexperimental analysis of early job training outcomes of selected 

grantee projects using program and state administrative data on quarterly employment and 

earnings. The analysis of outcomes will be presented in a forthcoming report in early 2009. 
ATTACHMENT A 

Selected Grantee Profiles

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 59 
Women in Skilled Trades 

Grantee: Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) 

Location of 

Grant Activities: 11-county area in and surrounding the Chicago metropolitan area (Cook, 

DuPage, Will, McHenry, Grundy, Livingston, Kankakee, DeKalb, 

Kendall, Lake, and Kane counties) 

Sector Targeted: Construction 

Type of Grant: Training and Capacity Building 

Grant Amount: $2,092,343 

Match/Leveraged Amount: $1,172,398 

Grant Period: 10/04–06/07 (extended to 06/08) 

Workforce Context: When the HGJTI project began, forecasts projected strong and sustained growth in 

the office and residential housing market in the Chicago metropolitan area. Before grant receipt, job 

growth projections coupled with anticipated retirements of existing workers translated into estimates for 

5,400 new construction jobs annually. However, the industry has historically experienced difficulty 

recruiting workers from nontraditional labor pools, such as women. In fact, women represent less than 3 

percent of all skilled construction trades workers throughout the country. This grant focused on increasing 

female awareness of preparation for and participation in a variety of skilled construction trades. 

Project Goals: The project includes four goals: 

a. Create an articulated, systemic approach to maintain a pipeline and support system for female 

applicants to the construction industry that operates in a timely and targeted way to meet industry 

needs and addresses barriers that impede female applicant's success. 

b. Expand the pipeline of qualified applicants for skilled trade apprenticeships through a systemic 

outreach campaign to underrepresented female populations. 

c. Support the connection of, preparation for, and successful entrance and retention of female 

candidates in the construction industry. 

d. Enhance the ability of the workforce investment system and community colleges to promote the 

construction industry to female clients and students and support their preparation to be 

competitive candidates. 

Major Project Components: 

• Recruitment. The original goal for outreach and recruitment efforts was to increase awareness of 

job opportunities in the construction trades for 9,200 women, primarily through their attendance 

at orientations and career fairs. (This goal was revised downward to 7,000.) Through August 

2007, CWIT had conducted outreach to 6,702 individuals. Outreach and recruitment efforts 

include development and distribution of pamphlets and flyers, public service announcements 

(PSAs) on the radio, newspaper advertisements, and job fairs. 

• Intake and Assessment. The project specifies four eligibility criteria for participation: (a) women; 

(b) possess a valid driver’s license; (c) 18 years old or older; and (d) legal authorization to work 

60 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
in the United States. A three-step assessment process that screens eligible participants includes (a) 

a 11⁄2 hour aptitude test to measure basic math and reading skills; (b) a physical agility test that 

includes jumping jacks, sit-ups and tests of ability to lift and carry heavy weights; and (c) a 30-

minute “discussion of interest” in-person interview led by a CWIT staff member and a 

representative of the industry (e.g., an employer or union representative). 

• Training and Curriculum Development. The key training component for this program is the 

Technical Opportunities Program (TOP), a pre-apprenticeship training session, designed to 

prepare participants and make them competitive for apprenticeship exams and interviews. The 

12-week training program includes 170 hours of training (14 hours a week, with training provided 

two evenings a week and on Saturday). CWIT developed curriculum based on the skills and exam 

requirements for entry into apprenticeship programs. The curriculum includes four major areas of 

training: (1) math; (2) job readiness; (3) hands-on experience in various construction trades, 

generally hosted by industry partners; and (4) physical conditioning. Instructors developed and 

refined a modular curriculum called “In for a Change: A Curriculum Guide for PreApprenticeship Training” that provides lesson plans and hands-on exercises. 

As of August 2007, CWIT enrolled 333 trainees, which amounts to 75 percent of its revised 

enrollment goal of 450. TOP aims to place 300 trainees in apprenticeship programs or gain 

employment directly in the construction industry. Through August 2007, 103 of the 225 TOP 

completers have entered apprenticeship programs and 8 currently work in the construction 

industry. The project has exceeded the $13 an hour goal for average wage at placement as 

trainees are earning an average of $17.62 an hour. 

• Case Management and Job Development Services. Case managers monitor training participants’ 

progress throughout the TOP program. The case manager helps identify needed support services 

and ensure that completers successfully apply to apprenticeship programs. A job developer also 

meets with students to make sure they are aware of the various apprenticeship opportunities. The 

job developer also teaches the job readiness TOP classes, monitors when new apprenticeship 

programs begin, and troubleshoots issues around retention for TOP participants once they enroll 

in apprenticeship programs. 

Key Implementation Lessons: 

• Programs must be prepared to adjust to changing job growth projections over the course of a 

multiyear project The pace of construction industry hiring slowed down noticeably after the grant 

application was submitted. As a result, the number of available openings in construction trades’ 

apprenticeship programs declined over time. CWIT was forced to revise its enrollment goals 

downward and extended the contract (through a no-cost extension) by one year. 

• To be successful, training programs must engage in efforts to challenge and overcome 

stereotypes about women in nontraditional jobs such as construction. During recruitment and 

apprenticeship application, CWIT and trainees had to overcome much skepticism and stereotypes 

concerning women entering and being successful in construction. CWIT devoted time and 

resources to an extensive public relations campaign to raise awareness about the potential for 

encouraging women to enter the construction industry. 

• Engaging the full cooperation of and integration with all partners in the workforce investment 

system in a large service area can prove challenging. Although some of the WIBs and One-Stop 

Career Centers were enthusiastic and willing partners, many were reluctant to participate because 

of fears and concerns associated with the nontraditional nature of women in the construction 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 61 
62 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

trades. In addition, construction trades were not among those sectors identified by the state as 

“critical skills shortage” areas, so WIBs were more focused on other industries. In addition, TOP 

training is not aligned with college credits or accreditation and community colleges, which 

typically focus on credit-based programs, and often must overcome bureaucratic barriers to 

provide the type of noncredit instruction associated with this program. 

Key Partnering Agencies: Four community colleges (Joliet, DuPage, Elgin, and McHenry) have played 

active roles as recruiters and service providers under the initiative. These colleges have assisted with 

recruitment in suburban areas, and then offered TOP classes. CWIT has engaged WIBs and One-Stop 

Career Centers in Cook, DuPage, and McHenry counties in outreach and recruitment efforts. Unions 

sponsor hands-on instruction, usually at a trade union training facility. CWIT maintains close contact with 

unions to identify when new apprenticeship classes begin. State agencies have provided some match, and 

the Apprenticeship Information Centers have disseminated information about apprenticeship programs.

Post-Grantee Status (as of August 2007): The project has been extended until June 2008. CWIT has 

secured future sources of funding and continues to solicit additional sources. With encouragement from 

CWIT and other partners, the state legislature recently approved a $6.2 million program (Employment 

Opportunity Grant Program) that provides funding to support pre-apprenticeship and other training 

initiatives. Under the initiative, CWIT will receive $650,000 over an 18-month period to continue its TOP 

program, with a focus on providing training for women in Cook County. CWIT also submitted a grant 

proposal to the Aspen Institute for funding for a three-year “bridge program” that would help low-income 

individuals lacking basic skills to make the transition to education and training at community colleges and 

a career. 

Contact: Jayne Vellinga 

Chicago Women in Trades 

1455 S. Michigan Avenue 

Suite 210 

Chicago, IL 60605 

(312) 942-1444 ext. 209 
Rural Healthcare High Growth Job Training and Economic Recovery Initiative 

Grantee: Columbia Gorge Community College (CGCC) 

Location of 

Grant Activities: Mid-Columbia Region (North Central Oregon and South Central 

Washington) 

Sector Targeted: Health Care 

Type of Grant: Training and Capacity Building 

Grant Amount: $1,250,000 

Match/Leveraged Amount: $1,367,000 

Grant Period: 04/04–09/06 (extended to 08/07) 

Workforce Context: The training programs developed focused on the health care skill needs of the local 

hospitals and long-term care facilities in the region as well as the need for good jobs for local residents. 

These hospitals and facilities, according to a survey conducted by CGCC, were experiencing a shortage of 

health care workers and would continue to in the future. No regional health occupations program existed 

to train residents locally, so CGCC decided to create a career ladder program to train certified nursing 

assistants, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses to meet the need. CGCC also recognized a local 

shortage in first responders and emergency medical technicians, who are mainly volunteers, and added a 

program to train them. Those who completed the nursing career ladder and became licensed as a 

registered nurse could earn upwards of $70,000 a year. 

Project Goals: In order to support the overarching goal of creating a pipeline of 200 new health care 

workers for the Mid-Columbia Region, the program aimed to: 

a. create a health occupations career ladder; 

b. install a simulation laboratory to become a regional training center for health occupations; 

c. increase effectiveness of worksite training with a preceptorship training program; 

d. create recruitment and training advancement through partnerships; and 

e. expand job placement opportunities with health care business partners. 

Major Project Components: The project consisted of the following training and capacity-building 

components: 

• Recruitment. The program aimed to recruit minorities, youth, and dislocated workers for health 

care training. The program did not initially meet anticipated enrollment and recruitment targets, 

but partners continued to reach out to eligible individuals. All student trainees must pass reading 

and math assessments and a background check. In addition, nursing students must complete a 

placement exam and are subject to an admissions interview.

• Health Care Training. CGCC developed and supported a career ladder that includes five health 

care training programs. First, the certified nursing assistant (CNA) program served the largest 

number of trainees, approximately 200. The CNA program includes 160 hours of training with 80 

hours in class and 80 hours in a clinical setting. A full-time instructor delivers classroom training, 

and an adjunct instructor provides clinical training. Second, the certified medical assistant (CMA) 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 63 
program provides practicing CNAs an additional 80 hours of training, with 48 hours in class and 

32 hours in a clinical setting. CMAs use a simulation lab for training. A part-time instructor 

delivers classroom training, and a preceptor (mentor/clinical instructor) oversees aspects of the 

clinical experience. The associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) is a two-year associate degree 

program (90 credit hours), and graduates take a licensed registered nurses (RN) test. Nursing 

students can become licensed practical nurses (LPNs) after completing one year and earning 46 

credits. To complete the two-year program, students must complete 12 days of preceptorship, 

including 2 days in the simulation lab and 10 days at area hospitals. Academic prerequisites 

include biology, chemistry, and math and reading proficiency. These three programs make up the 

career ladder for nurses. 

CGCC also developed training for first responders and emergency medical technicians. The 

emergency medical technician (EMT) program trains volunteer firefighters in the region. Trainees 

receive 160 hours of training, including 8 hours in an emergency room setting. The first 

responder program provides 44 hours of training in CPR and emergency response. 

The project has enrolled 668 trainees and 625 completed training as of July 2007. 

• Simulation Laboratory. The development of the simulation laboratory (“sim center”) was a major 

project component. The lab simulates clinical settings of which there are limited slots for students 

and opportunities for different medical situations that more urban health facilities would have. 

CGCC constructed the simulation lab to look like a hospital room with equipment and medical 

instruments to be used on “sim” people, or dummies that can mimic breathing, heartbeats and 

pulses, and more. The “sim” people are also connected to a computer and microphone where 

instructors control the vital signs of the dummy and are the voice of the patient during clinical 

scenarios. 

• Curriculum Development. Each training program required curriculum development, but the 

development of the CNA, CMA, and ADN curricula was a very involved process to ensure that 

the curricula met state standards. In addition, curriculum was developed for the scenarios used in 

the sim lab to ensure that the nursing students received as “true to life” clinical experience as 

possible. With these new curricula, CGCC is seeking state accreditation for its health occupations 

programs by 2009. 

Key Implementation Lessons: 

• Having experienced staff in federal grant management and procurement is important. CGCC did 

not have the infrastructure in place to manage a large grant and the accompanying federal 

requirements. In addition, the procurement process for the construction and installation of the sim 

lab was labor intensive and required some knowledge of the college’s financial system and 

procedures. Thus, CGCC hired someone to administer the procurement process to secure the 

necessary equipment for the simulation lab. 

• Training programs must find and retain knowledgeable instructors. Qualified instructors (usually 

BSN/RNs) can earn more practicing as nurses than as instructors, and many potential instructors 

cannot afford to accept lower earnings to teach new students. CGCC continued to seek new 

instructors for classroom and on-the-job training. 

• It is important to realize that financial commitments of employers and other partners may be 

affected by changing economic conditions. CGCC experienced some initial difficulty collecting 

64 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 65 

the promised financial support from employer partners but worked with the employers to help 

them realize the return on investment that they would see from this support. 

Key Partnering Agencies: The Mid-Columbia Medical Center, Providence Hood River Memorial 

Hospital, and Oregon Veterans Home played active role in planning, development, and implementation of 

the project, including funding, on-site training, curriculum review, recruitment, and hiring. Other area 

hospitals participated and provided financial support, recruitment, and hiring. The long-term care 

facilities in the area also provide support, especially for the CNA program. The Mid-Columbia Council of 

Government (MCCOG), the local WIB/One-Stop Career Center operator in the region, played a limited 

role but helped by referring dislocated workers and other job seekers to the college. La Clinica, a 

community-based organization in Hood River, helped develop outreach materials in English and Spanish 

and provided clinical setting opportunities. Oregon Health Sciences University offered to share 

experiences and modules from its own simulation lab. 

Post-Grantee Status (as of June 2007): The health occupations project secured funding through 

program year 2008, using a mix of employer financial support, state grants, federal grants, and general 

funds. The project will likely continue after 2009 if the training programs achieve accreditation and if 

trainee recruitment matures. In addition, outside nursing programs have begun traveling to CGCC to learn 

about the sim lab and how to replicate it. 

Contact: Linda Quackenbush 

Health Occupations Coordinator 

Columbia Gorge Community College

400 East Scenic Drive 

The Dalles, OR 97058-3456 

(541) 506-6141 
Strengthening the Oil and Gas Industry 

Grantee (Grant 1): High Plains Technology Center (HPTC)

Grantee (Grant 2): Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) 

Subgrantee (Grant 2): High Plains Technology Center (HPTC) 

Location of 

Grant Activities (Grant 1): Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas 

Location of 

Grant Activities (Grant 2): Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and Arkansas 

Sector Targeted: Energy 

Type of Grant: Training and Capacity Building 

Grant Amount (Grant 1): $1,546,463 

Grant Amount (Grant 2): $2,363,539 

Match/Leveraged Amount:

(Grant 1): $528,683 

Match/Leveraged Amount 

(Grant 2): $855,568 

Grant Period (Grant 1): 06/03–03/06 

Grant Period (Grant 2): 12/05–11/07 

Workforce Context: Despite low, and shrinking, total oil and gas employment, the energy industry 

experiences high worker turnover and retirement rates. Projections show an increase in demand for 

workers in Oklahoma’s oil and gas extraction occupations, but simultaneously, heavy declines in the 

supply of skilled extraction workers. Although the industry pays high wages, this high-hazard sector 

requires specialized training not readily available in the targeted region. The oil and gas industry has 

faced shortages of skilled labor in recent years and offers high wages for its workers. Floor hands earn 

between $14 and $18 an hour and derrick hands start at about $26 an hour. High turnover plagues the oil 

and gas industry (5–6 percent a month) because rigs continuously open up and close down. Workers 

unwilling to travel with their current rig to a faraway site lose their jobs. Although this initiative may not 

expand the pipeline into the energy industry, it aims to increase entry-level workers’ skills set.

Project Goals: Both grants shared two main goals: (1) develop and provide training for new and 

incumbent workers in the oil and gas industry; and (2) better connect the industry with workforce 

development resources in northwest Oklahoma, southwest Kansas, the Texas Panhandle, and Arkansas. 

The second project built on the activities carried out under the first grant by adding the following specific 

goals: 

a. build a satellite training center at another location in Oklahoma operated by HPTC staff (the 

Poteau site); 

b. provide technical assistance to other education and training organizations across the country 

interested in establishing a similar program; and 

c. establish an off-road truck driving training program component. 

66 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
Major Project Components: 

• Training. HPTC provides three types of training: (1) floor hand training for oil and gas drilling; 

(2) floor hand training for well servicing; and (3) derrick hand training for oil and gas drilling. 

Training integrated technical and soft skills with safety training. Forty hours of instruction are 

provided for each type of training over a five-day period, including three days of classroom 

instruction and two days of hands-on training. All workers must pass a drug test (urine screening) 

on the first day of the class. A recruitment and job placement specialist interacts with employers 

and the workforce investment system. HPTC will complete construction on its own off-road 

driving course and will soon introduce an off-road truck driving class. Trainees can attain specific 

industry certifications (e.g., forklift operations) where available in addition to certifications for 

completion of the training sessions. As of September 2005, the first grant trained 2,532 

individuals (1,951 incumbent workers and 581 new workers). Over the first grant period, more 

than 3,500 received training. By the end of December 2006, the second grant trained 1,385 

workers (983 incumbents and 402 potential new workers), exceeding its goal to train 1,303 

workers (815 incumbent workers and 488 new workers). As many as 800 to 1,000 additional 

individuals could complete training before the grant ends on December 1, 2007. The project 

reports dropout rates below 1 percent. 

• Curriculum. Several industry representatives from four industry associations assisted in 

developing the curriculum. The curriculum includes a manual for each of the three training 

courses, and the initiative translated one manual into Spanish so that trainees can attend 

instructional sessions in English and Spanish. HPTC hired bilingual instructors. Project staff also 

developed detailed instructor notes (which have been converted into PowerPoint presentations) 

and short DVD film segments that focus on safety, drilling techniques, and other aspects of the oil 

and gas industry. The curriculum, PowerPoint notes, and DVDs facilitate replication of the 

training program in other locales. Project staff provides technical assistance to educational 

institutions interested in oil and gas training. 

• Follow-Up Activities. In 2005, the grantee surveyed over 45 companies to collect information on 

current job vacancies and future training needs. HPTC also conducted a follow-up survey of 

almost 100 incumbent employees who participated in the training, and found that over 70 percent 

of new entrant trainees obtained a job, and that pay increases averaged over $17,000 a year for 

incumbent workers who received promotions. 

Key Implementation Lessons: 

• Difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified instructors present challenges. The project 

experienced difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified instructors with hands-on experience in 

the oil and gas industry. Eligible instructors can usually secure highly competitive salaries (over 

$100,000 a year) with industry firms and may not be able to afford participating in training 

projects. During the course of the grant, several instructors left the training project after opting for 

jobs in the industry. Grantee staff attempted to lure qualified instructors to these jobs by 

highlighting the comparatively better working conditions enjoyed by instructors. They also 

recruited former workers in the oil and gas industry who had recently retired. 

Key Partnering Agencies: Employers and industry associations play the most extensive roles in the 

initiative. Program staff estimated that 30 oil and gas companies (e.g., Unit Drilling, Key Energy 

Services, Devon Energy, BP, Pool Well Services, and others) have contributed cash or in-kind resources 

or support to the project as employer partners. Employers provide direct input on program design and 

curriculum that meets employer needs and reflect their production process. The following trade 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 67 
68 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

associations have actively contributed to the initiative: Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association, the 

Independent Drilling Contractors Association, the Association of Energy Service Contractors, the 

Marginal Well Commission, the Energy Training Council, and the Kansas Oil and Gas Association. 

These organizations provided input on training needs and curriculum as well as job needs and vacancies, 

and they have advertised the program to employers in the oil and gas industry. During the first grant 

project, the initiative benefited from partnerships with Workforce Oklahoma (the local WIA agency) and 

the WIB, which endorsed the project and referred trainees. The second grant project does not collaborate 

extensively with WIBs, although One-Stop Career Centers distribute brochures about the program and 

attempt to increase its visibility. Other peripheral partners that provide some outreach and recruitment 

support include the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Veteran Affairs, and the criminal justice system. The local 

chamber of commerce and economic development agencies provide opportunities to disseminate 

information about the project. 

Post-Grantee Status (as of February 2007): The first grant ended in March 2006. Before its end, the 

initiative added training in additional occupational areas (e.g., off-road operations), and HPTC developed 

and implemented specialized industry-relevant training programs (e.g., blowout prevention) in response to 

input from employers. HPTC funded the latter through state funds and direct charges to employers. The 

program has not received any additional federal funds to continue the program after the second HGJTI 

grant ended in November 2007. The staff developed a $768,000 proposal to continue the program and has 

communicated with members of the state legislature about funding the request. In addition, the program 

requested $5 million for facility improvements at HPTC to accommodate the training program. HPTC 

may approach industry associations and employers to request funding. Trainers and other grantee staff 

would not likely remain on the project without funding. 

Contact: Dr. Bill Jackson 

High Plains Technology Center 

3921 34th Street 

Woodward, OK 73801 

(580) 571-6135 

billjackson@hptc.net

Web site: www.hptc.net
Arizona Biotechnology Career Ladder (ABCL) 

Grantee: JobPath, Inc. 

Location of 

Grant Activities: Pima County, Arizona (Tucson) 

Sector Targeted: Biotechnology 

Type of Grant: Training and Capacity Building 

Grant Amount: $276,393 

Match/Leveraged Amount: $185,710 

Grant Period: 7/05–6/07 (extended to 12/07) 

Workforce Context: Pima County aims to position itself as a competitive area of growth in the 

biotechnology sector. A study conducted by Battelle projected over 27,000 new hires and a gap between 

the needs of employers and the number of skilled workers expected to enter the workforce over the next 

decade. Although relatively new and still small, biotechnology has become an emerging industry and is 

regarded as having great potential for growth in the state. Statewide efforts to promote Arizona as a 

magnet state for biotechnology are currently under way. The Tucson area houses the BIO5 Institute at the 

University of Arizona, funded by the state as part of a statewide mandate to enhance biotechnology 

training. The Institute brings together researchers from agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, basic science, 

and engineering working with industry scientists and business professionals to focus on bioscience 

education and to find problem-based solutions using a cross-disciplinary approach. 

Project Goals: The ABCL project aims to develop, test, modify, and expand a career ladder that meets 

Arizona’s biosciences needs. The career ladder progresses through five stages: (a) introduction to 

biotechnology course through the Biotechnology Summer Institute/Pima Community College (PCC); (b) 

prerequisite courses for the PCC biotechnology certificate program; (c) PCC biotechnology certificate 

program; (d) employment in Biotechnology Industry; and (e) BS/MS/PhD coursework. Specific project 

goals include: 

a. Build a pipeline of youth interested in pursuing careers in biotechnology through the development 

of an introduction to biotechnology course taught by PCC faculty to high school students in a 

Biotechnology Summer Institute. The outcome goal was the graduation of 50 high school 

students. 

b. Deliver the introduction of biotechnology course to PCC students in fall 2006, who will then 

advance to prerequisites for other biotechnology courses. The outcome goal was 20 students from 

each class beginning in fall 2006. 

c. Access new and/or untapped labor pools; transition workers from declining industries; build 

competency models, career ladders, and career lattices for new and incumbent workers; and 

develop incumbent workers by updating their skills. Recruit and support students enrolled in 

biotechnology courses and certificate programs at PCC. The outcome goal was to graduate 30 

JobPath participants from the three core PCC biotechnology courses (Biotechnology I, II, and III) 

who would move on to employment or higher education. Provide financial support for other PCC 

students taking biotechnology courses or prerequisites. 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 69 
d. Expand postsecondary training alternatives and engage small businesses by offering paid 

internships with bioscience employers for PCC students who have completed PCC biotechnology 

courses. The outcome goal was to graduate 30 participants from paid internships with employers. 

e. Develop and sustain a career ladder for biotechnology in Pima County, which can be replicated 

statewide and nationally. The outcome goal was to disseminate course materials and information 

on this program model statewide and nationally to assist organizations replicate and sustain the 

proposed project. 

Major Project Components: 

• Biotechnology Summer Institute. The Institute exposes high school students to opportunities in 

the biotechnology field through participation in a college-level introduction to biotechnology 

course taught at PCC. JobPath recruits participants from Tucson-area schools via various 

outreach methods, including in-person presentations, distribution of flyers, notices in school 

newsletters, and newspaper ads. JobPath received over 90 applications for the first session and 

accepted 25 (mostly junior and seniors). Incentives included an $800 stipend and four college 

credits upon successful completion of course. The Institute postponed the first session until 

summer 2006, and the no-cost extension allowed the grantee to offer the second session in 

summer 2007. Students attend class for four hours a day, five days a week. The course includes 

hands-on lab experience, class lectures, guest lectures from employers, employer field trips, small 

group work experiences, and instruction in critical thinking skills. Ninety-six percent of students 

who enrolled in the summer 2006 session successfully completed the program. Since PCC offered 

to cover the costs for one session, JobPath had decided to offer two 25-student sessions during 

summer 2007. 

• Certificate in Biotechnology. Job Path provides financial and other support to students enrolled in 

PCC classes leading to a certificate in biotechnology. The certificate, offered since 2004, 

complements an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Prerequisites include biology, chemistry and 

math courses. Recruitment involves the distribution of flyers and outreach to churches, schools, 

and other organizations. The University of Arizona also referred students with BS degrees. Entry 

into the program does not depend on income level. JobPath covers tuition, fees, and books for 

participants. Students also participate in counseling and peer support sessions, receive $20 gas 

cards, and can receive other support services such as assistance with child care, housing, 

transportation, and utilities. The program offers hands-on lab experience, three core 

biotechnology courses (nine credits), and paid internships (320 hours, three credits) with 

biotechnology employers in industry or research. As of January 2007, 34 students had enrolled in 

one of three JobPath programs: biotechnology (22), histology (7), and medical laboratory 

technician (5). Seven withdrew, 5 completed, and the remaining 22 students continued 

participating. Twenty-seven participants received tuition, book, and exam assistance for an 

average amount of $465.11. Ninety-four percent of participants attended peer support meetings, 

and students attended an average of 9.7 meetings. JobPath’s support of the students in the 

certificate in biotechnology program raised the visibility of the program. 

• Curriculum. PCC faculty developed the introduction to biotechnology curriculum for the Summer 

Institute under the grant, and PCC will use the curriculum for an introductory course in 

biotechnology. 

70 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 71 

Key Implementation Lessons: 

• Unforeseen challenges may affect enrollment goals and expectations. For a number of reasons, 

enrollment in the certificate in biotechnology program did not meet expectations. The college 

inadvertently omitted descriptions of the courses in one version of the course catalog and 

scheduled the courses during the day as opposed to evening hours when more students could 

attend. The project team then modified the scope of work to include support for JobPath students 

enrolled in separate histology and medical laboratory technician programs. 

• Changes in key personnel can have a negative impact on project progress and momentum. The 

transfer of a key team member involved in the early development of the certificate in 

biotechnology program to another position at PCC resulted in the loss of some of the institutional 

knowledge as well as a delay in the forward momentum of the project. In addition, a change in 

ETA personnel (specifically, the grant’s Federal Project Officer) caused some difficulties and 

delayed technical assistance.

• Engaging the participation of employer partners can prove challenging. JobPath experienced 

some difficulties establishing links with employers in their service area. Initially, project staff 

expected to receive cash for internship stipends and in-kind support from a key biotechnology 

employer. However, because that employer was located outside the Tucson area, students were 

unwilling or unable to travel to that location for internships, and that support did not materialize. 

In addition, many larger biotechnology companies were headquartered outside the Tucson area 

(closer to Phoenix), making establishment of links with these employers difficult. Although 

project staff indicated that more progress could be made in terms of developing these links, they 

were successful in identifying sufficient internship slots with a number of employers. 

Key Partnering Agencies: Job Path benefited from close partnerships with several organizations on this 

initiative, most importantly PCC. Other key partners included the University of Arizona and its BIO5 

Institute, which provided internships and in-kind resources. BIO5 faculty and researchers also participated 

as guest speakers, hosts for lab tours, and curricula reviewers. The Pima County WIB, which has a 

longstanding working relationship with JobPath, assisted with recruitment for this project. The Phoenixbased Flinn Foundation (which provides funding to Arizona nonprofit organizations for research projects) 

supported the Summer Institute’s graduation ceremony, and a Flinn vice president chairs the project’s 

advisory board. 

Post-Grantee Status (as of March 2007): Project activities supported by the grant will likely continue 

after the grant period ends. In fact, the grant manager noted that this grant was “designed to be 

sustainable.” JobPath is planning to seek other funds, including additional federal funds, and are 

communicating with the State Workforce Commission to discuss securing financial support. Staff are also 

considering charging a fee for the Summer Institute in order to sustain the program. 

Contact: Hermi Cubillos 

Executive Director 

JobPath Inc. 

655 N. Alvernon #205 

Tucson, AZ 85711 

(520) 324-0402 x204 

Hcubillos@jobpath.net
Louisiana High Growth Job Training Initiative 

Grantee: Louisiana Department of Labor (LDOL) 

Location of 

Grant Activities: State of Louisiana 

Sectors Targeted: Health Care, Construction, Energy, and Hospitality 

Type of Grant: Training and Capacity Building 

Grant Amount: $3,000,000 

Match/Leveraged Amount: None 

Grant Period: 09/05–09/06 

Workforce Context: In its rebuilding efforts for the state after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Louisiana 

Department of Labor focused on a four-part approach for rebuilding: (1) businesses, (2) communities, (3) 

service delivery systems, and (4) the workforce. LDOL used HGJTI grant funding among others 

(National Emergency Grants and Base Realignment and Closure grants) to accomplish this overarching 

goal. The post-Katrina labor market demand increased compared with the pre-Katrina labor market, but 

some businesses experienced difficulties finding skilled workers, especially in the hospitality, 

construction and health care sectors. The lack of affordable housing also complicated employers’ 

recruitment efforts. In addition, many who had worked in the area before Katrina had settled elsewhere 

and might not return. Thus, the mission to supply skilled workers to keep businesses open and operating 

was vital. 

Project Goals: The project aimed to help prepare new, returning, and incumbent workers with skills for 

high-demand jobs needed in the new emerging economy and with transition support to reestablish their 

families. The project provided initial training in health care, energy, and hospitality and various 

construction occupations. The training effort responded to the need to rebuild the workforce after the 

devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

Major Project Components: 

• Training. Over 80 percent of the grant funded training programs, and 11 percent of the grant 

aided capacity-building efforts designed to sustain training after the grant project ended. The 

project supported 26 subgrants—the majority offering a combination of classroom and on-the-job 

training. Training programs for new and incumbent workers prioritized direct connections to 

employers, short-term training, and training in high-growth industries. Training relied on 

partnerships among the local One-Stop Career Centers, Louisiana Community Technical College 

Systems (LCTCS), community-based organizations, local unions, and employers. Some WIBs 

assisted potential trainees to complete applications and other paperwork. 

Key Implementation Lessons: 

• Especially after a disaster, grant activities must be flexible to meet the shifting needs of the 

workers. Some training programs reported high turnover rates due to lack of screening, career 

assessment, and resettlement difficulties. Resettlement proved especially difficult when training 

did not also include substantive supportive services and housing assistance. In response, training 

72 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 73 

programs offered classes during evenings and weekends and recruited additional incumbent 

workers and LCTCS recommended offering supportive services to trainees. 

• Strong employer focus is needed when rebuilding labor markets. Louisiana’s economy changed 

dramatically after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The new economic context of the area shifted and 

areas of high-growth and high-demand before the hurricanes did not always reflect new areas of 

high-growth and high-demand. The grant effort emphasizes rebuilding the business and 

workforce foundation that suffered or nearly disappeared immediately after the hurricanes. In 

response, the state emphasized projects with strong employer partnerships as well as incumbent 

worker training. 

Key Partnering Agencies: Training relied on partnerships among the local One-Stop Career Centers, 

LCTCS, community-based agencies, local unions, and employers. WIBs conducted outreach and 

recruitment for the program, assisted with applications and other paperwork, entered client data into the 

state’s MIS, tracked training completion and job placement, and reviewed and processed invoices. 

Employers recognized the value of the project because it occurred “at a time when they were struggling to 

put their own industries back in place” and this effort helped “to get the bills paid.” 

Post-Grantee Status (as of June 2007): The project trained 1,232 individuals, thus exceeding its goal of 

1,124. Trainees and training providers can continue activities under the state Pathways program, a $5 

million federal grant from the Department of Labor. The grant project served as a method in 

strengthening the working relationship among partner organizations, especially LDOL and LCTCS. 

Employers who saw successful skills development and job placement as a result of the project may be 

willing to support ongoing job training programs through cash and in-kind contributions. 

Contacts: Stella Goodbee, Director, Workforce Development 

sgoodbee@ldol.state.la.us 

Bonnie McNeely, Workforce Development Manager (funds) 

bmcneeley@ldol.state.la.us

Louisiana Department of Labor 

1001 N. 23rd St 

Annex Bldg. 

3rd Floor 

Baton Rouge, LA 70804 

(225) 342-7629 
Biosciences Job Growth Initiative (BJGI) 

Grantee: Miami-Dade College (MDC) 

Location of 

Grant Activities: Miami-Dade County, Doral and Homestead, Florida, and remote 

employer sites across the country 

Sector Targeted: Biotechnology 

Type of Grant: Training and Capacity Building 

Grant Amount: $1,000,000 

Match/Leveraged Amount: $1,370,000 in in-kind and cash contributions from MDC and employers; 

leveraged grants from U.S. Department of Education the Florida 

Department of Education 

Grant Period: 6/05–6/07 (extended to 6/08) 

Workforce Context: At the time of the grant application, the biotechnology industry in Florida and 

Miami-Dade County was considered an emerging industry. Three biotechnology research institutes, 

approximately 90 pharmaceutical companies, and over 100 biotechnology companies operate in the state, 

and more companies were locating there. These companies create jobs ranging from lab technicians to 

highly skilled and university-trained scientists. Entry-level lab technicians with technical training earn 

between $11.50 and $14.25 an hour. Higher paid scientists usually have four-year degrees in science 

(biology, chemistry, etc.) and additional practical training in biotechnology. Governor Jeb Bush 

developed a statewide economic development initiative to enhance biotechnology activities. In the region, 

the South Florida Bioscience Consortium leads regional and local efforts to attract biotechnology 

employers and build capacity to supply employers with skilled (and, ideally, local) workers. Thus, MDC 

decided to develop an associate degree and certificate program and an incumbent worker training program 

to meet the need for skilled workers regionally.

Project Goals: The Biosciences Job Growth Initiative (BJGI) identified the following goals: 

a. increase capacity of education and training providers; 

b. establish a pipeline to access untapped labor pools; 

c. develop specialized skill sets and competency models; 

d. train 800 incumbent and future Industrial Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (IPM) technicians and 

related workers; 

e. increase retention by 30 percent annually; 

f. introduce good manufacturing, lab, clinical, and documentation practices in IPM curricula, 

pedagogy, and industry processes; and 

g. deliver IPM/Biosciences career guidance at all stages of lifelong learning. 

Major Project Components: The following components focus on different types of training deployed by 

MDC and three employer partners. As of June 2007, the BJGI had trained 918 incumbent workers, 

exceeding its training goal of 800 workers. In addition, MDC reports that 99 percent of trainees stayed 

with their current employer. 

74 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION
• Adult Education and Workplace Skills Training. One employer for new and current employees 

emphasized foundational business writing, ESL, and computer training. Needs assessments 

identified employees that could benefit from employee skill sets and effective communication. 

Another employer also identified employees with limited English language skills for ESL 

training.

• IPM Competency Training. All three employers used IPM competency training. Specifically, two 

employers received training in manufacturing and documentation practices. This training was also 

provided remotely through distance learning. In addition, two employers used regulatory 

compliance and contaminations training. 

• Management Training. All three employers received management training, including Six Sigma 

project management and performance evaluation training.

• Curriculum Development. Training consultants and employer partner representatives developed 

and tailored a curriculum for IPM employees: basics of contamination control, good 

documentation practices, performance management, and project management.

• Credit Associate Degree and Certificate Programs. Employer and industry partners have also 

helped shape MDC Biotech Program curriculum to reflect industry requirements.

• Increased Capacity of Education and Training Providers. MDC is planning to train its own 

faculty and has trained a supervisor at one of the employers to be adjunct faculty for the Virtual 

College.

• Pipeline for Untapped Labor Pools. The BJGI and the Biotechnology Program have worked with 

Miami-Dade high schools to interest youth, especially minority youth, in biotechnology careers.

Key Implementation Lessons: 

• Expect and adjust for unforeseen delays in employer partner involvement. Two major employer 

partners underwent changes that delayed their participation. One employer partner experienced a 

merger and its participation and contributions to the grant were delayed. Another employer had 

planned on a move to the area before the beginning of the grant but was unable to participate in 

the grant activities when the move was delayed. Additional employer recruitment for the project 

was necessary and new employers were able to participate. 

• Staff with knowledge in federal grants management and job training projects are helpful. It took 

MDC about a year to find the right project manager for the grant. However, once it did, the grant 

activities were able to move very quickly because the new project manager knew how to work 

with federal grants and make the right connections to build the incumbent worker training 

program. 

Key Partnering Agencies: Employer and industry association partnerships were critical in this initiative. 

MDC signed formal partnering agreements (usually in the form of Memoranda of Understanding) with 

three employers that provided job training. Two of the employers also helped develop the training 

curricula. Various industry groups participated in the BJGI. MDC staff attend regular meetings of the 

South Florida Biosciences Consortium and have working relationships with other industry and business 

representatives. The WIB sits on the advisory board for the Biotechnology Program and is working with 

the state to place biotechnology on the Targeted Industries List. The Miami-Dade Public Schools also 

IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF HGJTI PROGRAMS 75 
76 CENTER ON LABOR,HUMAN SERVICES, AND POPULATION

partnered with the BJGI and Biotechnology Program to help recruit minority youth through career days 

for and presentations to high school students. 

Post-Grantee Status (as of June 2007): The project has been extended until June 2008. Even though the 

training goal has already been exceeded, MDC anticipates that several hundred more incumbent workers 

will receive training. The incumbent worker program has helped to build credibility as a biotechnology 

training provider, which will help MDC attract more students for its credit-based programs. Continued 

work with employer partners to increase cost-sharing responsibilities as well as obtaining government or 

nonprofit grants remains critical for sustainability and seems likely to occur. 

Contact: Dr. Merrill Irving, Jr. 

Program Manager, Biosciences Job Growth Initiative 

Miami Dade College 

300 NE 2nd Avenue, Room 3604-18 

Miami, FL 33132 

(305) 237-3962 

mirving@mdc.edu