Pathways to Economic Mobility: Identifying the Labor Market Value of Community College in Massachusetts

This report provides a timely contribution to the growing public policy debate around how we combat structural inequality by quantifying the power of community college as a pathway to economic mobility. Until recently, it has been difficult to accurately estimate the return to a community college education in Massachusetts because numerous factors affect who enrolls, when they enroll, the rate at which they complete a credential, and the field of study that they pursue. The Commonwealth's State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) allows us to build statistical models that untangle these patterns.Utilizing this dataset, we can isolate increases in employment and earnings over and above what individuals would have experienced if they had not pursued community college studies. While community colleges serve many types of learners, with this first analysis, we focus on Massachusetts public school students who graduated from high school about a decade ago and enrolled in a community college within five years of high school graduation. These young adults represent a large segment of community college enrollment and a population for whom community college is often the highest level of educational attainment.Our analysis consistently uncovers strong labor market returns to community college studies for young adults. The gains are greater for women than men. Students who obtain degrees or credit-bearing certificates in high-demand fields garner particularly large increases in employment and earnings. While we find that low-income students and students of color are less likely to persist in community college, those who do complete degrees and credit-bearing certificates enjoy returns that are at least as large as White and non-low-income students. As detailed below, the findings in this report suggest efforts to position more students for community college success can play a meaningful role in building a more equitable Commonwealth

The ROI of ESOL: The Economic and Social Return on Investment for ESOL Programs in Greater Boston

Recognizing the importance of immigrants to Greater Boston and the value of English classes and other supports to building an inclusive and welcoming community, the Boston Foundation and the Latino Legacy Fund commissioned a study that explores the "return on investment" (ROI) for teaching English to adults who are speakers of other languages. Known as ESOL programs, these services are an important component of adult education and a key piece of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The result of that study is this report, comprising an analysis of the region's ESOL landscape that provides background and context for the in-depth case studies and ROI estimates that follow

Middle Skill Workers in Todayâs Job Market

This 60-page report was written by Alicia Sasser Modestino and discusses the labor market for middle skill workers. "This report provides a framework for analyzing the potential mismatch between the supply of and demand for middle-skill workers over the next two decades." The following questions are explored: How should we think about the demand for middle-skill workers? What has already been reported about the labor market for middle skill workers? For what industry sectors and occupations do skills appear to be in short supply, wither nationally or regionally? What actions, if any, should policymakers consider given the evidence

Middle-Skill Workers in Today's Labor Market

These slides are from a presentation given by Alicia Sasser Modestino at the Symposium on the Supply Chain for Middle-Skill Jobs: Education, Training, and Certification Pathways. This presentation discusses middle-skill workers in today's labor market. Topics include: Motivation: Shifts in the Supply of and Demand for Skill, Existing Evidence: Academic versus Employer Perspectives, Current Data: Supply/Demand Measures, Future Projections: Population and Employment, Upskilling: Changing Employer Requirements, and Conclusions: Policy Recommendations. These presentation slides are available free for download.Â

Mismatch in the labor market: measuring the supply of and demand for skilled labor in New England

Over the past decade, policymakers and business leaders across New England have been concerned that the region’s slower population growth and loss of residents to other parts of the U.S. will lead to a shortage of skilled labor—particularly when the baby boom generation retires. Even with the current economic downturn, there is a recognized need to ensure that there is a sufficient pipeline of skilled workers to fill their region’s high-growth, high-demand jobs when the economy recovers. This means not only having a sufficient number of skilled workers, but also a workforce with the right mix of skills to meet the diverse needs of the region’s economy. ; This report examines the potential mismatch between the supply of and demand for skilled labor in New England. It explores changes in the balance between labor supply and labor demand at multiple skill levels across the New England region and the nation and examines both historical trends as well as future projections in the supply of and demand for skilled labor. ; The evidence indicates that, although New England currently has many more workers seeking employment than there are job opportunities, the supply of skilled workers is not likely to keep pace with demand over the next two decades. Although these trends are not unique to the region, New England will likely face even greater challenges in maintaining an adequate supply of skilled workers compared to the nation—particularly for “middle-skill” jobs. The report concludes with a discussion of the role that public policy could play in addressing this challenge.Labor supply - New England

The middle-skills gap: ensuring an adequate supply of skilled labor in northern and southern New England

Recent evidence suggests that a mismatch between the skills demanded by employers and the skills supplied by the population may be underway, particularly for “middle-skill” workers who possess some college education or an associate’s degree. This policy brief examines the middle-skill mismatch in New England, comparing recent labor market trends and future projections for the northern versus southern subregions. The analysis finds that the nature of the mismatch varies within the region, indicating that policymakers should tailor their potential responses as opposed to taking a uniform approach. This brief expands on the NEPPC research report 10-2: Mismatch in the Labor Market: Measuring the Supply of and Demand for Skilled Labor in New England.Labor supply - New England ; Education - New England