Study Details | Pathways to Work

101018-Study of New Orleans

Study quality: High

High

Reason for the rating: This study received a high study quality rating because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition, suggesting the findings can be attributed to the program.

Program: New Orleans Career Pathway Training

Services provided:

Case management, Job development, Job search assistance, Occupational or sectoral training, Tuition assistance/financial aid

Setting: Urban only

Methods and Standards Protocol version used for review: Version 2.0

Learn about our protocol

Study design

Design:

Randomized controlled trial

Study group formation:

Eligible participants were randomly assigned, with participants assigned to have access to the New Orleans Career Pathway program group or to the comparison group. Randomization was done within strata defined by gender, annual income in the prior year being above or below $5,000, employment status, and being age 35 years or older. A total of 1,901 participants were randomly assigned, with 948 assigned to the program group and 953 assigned to the comparison group.

Time period of study:

The study ran from 2014 to 2019. Study enrollment occurred from 2017 to 2018. Administrative data was collected for the period of January 2014 through March 2019, with outcomes measured over a seven-quarter follow-up period.

Primary outcome domains examined:

Increase short-term earnings, Increase short-term employment

Study funded by:

The study was funded by the New Orleans Office of Workforce Development via a U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Innovation Fund grant.

Results

View table definitions

Scroll to the right to view the rest of the table columns

Outcome domain	Measure	Timing	Study quality by finding	Comparison group mean	Program group mean	Impact	Units	Findings	Sample size
Increase short-term earnings	Average quarterly earnings over the followup period	Quarter 7	High	3,567.00	4,002.99	435.99	2018 Dollars		1,901
Increase short-term employment	Average quarterly employment rate over the follow-up period	Quarter 7	High	63.90	67.40	3.50	percentage points		1,901

Short-term outcomes are those measured 18 months or fewer after participants are first offered services. Long-term outcomes are those measured between 18 months and 5 years after participants are first offered services. Very long-term outcomes are those measured 5 years or more after participants are first offered services.

Means are not displayed when not reported or not aligned with the impact estimates. For example, if the impact estimate is regression-adjusted but only unadjusted means are reported in the study, the unadjusted means are not displayed as they are not aligned with the adjusted impact estimate.

Impact estimates are not shown when the estimate units cannot be converted to natural units.

Findings quality key:

High
Moderate

Study quality terms?

The findings quality describe our confidence that a given study’s finding is because of the program. We do not display findings that rate low.

Findings key:

A moderate-to-large favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large favorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that might be due to chance
A favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A favorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that might be due to chance
An unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
An unfavorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size or direction
A finding of no effect that might be due to chance

Favorable findings are impacts in a direction that is socially desirable. Statistical significance indicates the likelihood that a study finding is due to the program, rather than due to chance. Findings are described as moderate-to-large if the program produced a sufficiently large change in the outcome. An impact receives this designation if the standardized effect size is equal to or greater than 0.25 or equal to or less than -0.25.

Sample characteristics

Eligible participants included unemployed and under-employed workers who met various screening criteria, including attainment of minimum scores on tests of basic skills, drug testing, attendance at a mandatory orientation meeting, and completion of a structured interview to assess work and training readiness. Participants, on average, were about 40 years old. Most participants were Black (90 percent), and 55 percent of participants were male.

Age

Mean age

40 years

Sex

Female	45%
Male	55%

Race and ethnicity

Black or African American	90%
Unknown, not reported, or other	10%

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if the authors reported race and ethnicity separately; in these cases, we report the category White, rather than White, not Hispanic.

Employment and public benefit status

Were employed	51%
Were unemployed	49%

Program implementation

Implementing organization:

New Orleans Office of Workforce Development

Program history:

The program did not exist prior to the study. The initial pilot cohorts were enrolled in 2016, and cohorts included in the study were enrolled in 2017 and 2018.

Program services:

The New Orleans Office of Workforce Development's Career Pathway Training provided job-specific training in high-demand occupations, including advanced manufacturing, information technology, and healthcare. Training providers included community colleges and other professional training providers, who coordinated with local firms to develop curriculum and connect participants with employers. Participants received $6,000 worth of training credits to cover costs associated with attendance.

Mandatory services:

None

Comparison services:

The comparison group was prohibited from receiving services from New Orleans Career Pathway but could receive other training or employment services in the community.

Service receipt duration:

Services were provided over a 2 to 4 month period.

Program funding:

The program was funded by a U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Innovation Fund grant.

Study publications

Baird, Matthew B., John Engberg, and Italo A. Gutierrez (2022). RCT evidence on differential impact of US job training programmes by pre-training employment status. Labour Economics, 75, Article 102140. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2022.102140

Baird, Matthew D., John Engberg, Gabriella C. Gonzalez, Thomas Goughnour, Italo A. Gutierrez, and Rita Karam (2019). Effectiveness of screened, demand-driven job training programs for disadvantaged workers: An evaluation of the New Orleans Career Pathway Training. Appendix. Research Report RR-2980. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Available at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2980.html.

Baird, Matthew D., John Engberg, Gabriella C. Gonzalez, Thomas Goughnour, Italo A. Gutierrez, and Rita Karam (2019). Effectiveness of screened, demand-driven job training programs for disadvantaged workers: An evaluation of the New Orleans Career Pathway Training. Research Report RR-2980. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Available at: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2980.html.

View the glossary for more information about these and other terms used on this page.

Pathways to Work refers to programs by the names used in study reports or manuscripts. Some program names may use language that is not consistent with our style guide, preferences, or the terminology we use to describe populations.

Study of New Orleans Career Pathway Training