My dissertation consists of three chapters in the field of labor and education economics. The first chapter studies the impact of early morning classes on students' educational trajectories. The second chapter explores how college course shutouts affects students' educational outcomes. The third chapter investigates the impact of kindness on wage…

The purpose of this study is to examine how and to what extent an afterschool program for marginalized youth assists in developing workforce readiness skills through a critical positive youth development (CPYD) framework that considers the social contexts of youth. There is little research on afterschool programs that prepare youth for the…

The objective of this research is to examine the educational and public policy concerns pertaining to career transitioning among students with visual impairments. The authors conducted a narrative literature review. The conceptualization of policy, with a specific focus on educational and public policies, was provided. The article also discussed…

The need for a larger labor force in Southwest Minnesota is at peak heights and employers are looking for strategies that keep local high school and college graduates in the region. The analysis of 38,154 southwest high school graduates shows that their post-high school paths and plans are related to whether an individual has meaningful workforce…

Ventura County is home to approximately 55,000 children under age six, many of whom enroll in early care and education (ECE) programs (KidsData, 2023). The ECE workforce provides vital learning and growth for these children, complex work that demands energy and expertise. Building on the California Early Care and Education Workforce Study…

Indiana continues to experience significant challenges in filling vacancies in its teacher workforce. Fewer students are enrolling in educator preparation programs; and, among those who do enroll, only 16% are actually teaching in an Indiana classroom. In a 2021 survey, 96% of Indiana districts reported teacher shortages--with significant…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) demonstrate success in facilitating pathways for STEM graduates into the STEM workforce, and this phenomenon has been widely documented (Gasman & Nguyen, 2014; Upton & Tanenbaum, 2014; Clewell et al., 2016). Although thematic analysis of the mission statements of HBCUs at the…

States have an opportunity in 2024 to establish a single, unifying vision for how funding for multiple federal education and workforce development programs can be brought together to promote economic mobility and strengthen their state's economy. State plans authorized by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended…

Short-cycle higher education programs (SCPs) form skilled human capital in two or three years and could be key to upskilling and reskilling the workforce, provided their supply responds fast and nimbly to local labor market needs. We study determinants of SCP entry and exit in Colombia for markets defined by geographic location and field of study.…

In 2018, the District of Columbia ("the District") City Council passed the Birth-to-Three for All DC Act (B-3 Act), a groundbreaking policy package designed to strengthen early care and education (ECE) for infants and toddlers. A central component of the B-3 Act is the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund (the Fund), a groundbreaking…

This chapter examines three distinct approaches to lifelong learning to illustrate workforce and societal development efforts in Europe, Singapore, and the United States. The case studies bring to the fore various complex issues, including, in the case of Europe, ensuring more equitable access to workforce development initiatives for all.…

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly established the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with three major global initiatives: end poverty, fight inequalities, and combat climate change. Partnership is a central component of such efforts, with the UN calling everyone to get involved in large and small ways to accomplish the SDGs. The…

Current events have highlighted ethical lapses and disregard for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in companies. Scandals at Volkswagen, Wells Fargo, and Turing Pharmaceuticals, as well as the 2008 mortgage crisis demonstrate the need for ethics training and CSR. Human resource development (HRD) strategies and initiatives can aid companies in…

Empirical and conceptual literature on career and workforce development increasingly cites the importance of connections between policy, research and practice domains. Yet, few if any models inform such collaborations. In the proposed Tripartite Model of Program Evaluation, the inter-play between these three key stakeholder groups is…

The growth in the number of types and providers of credentials has much to do with new conceptions of the "currency" of higher education. Students and employers are placing more value on the skills, competencies and knowledge a learner obtains, rather than on credit hours, seat-time or degrees. Alternative credentials and credential…