Study Details | Pathways to Work

101010.05-Study of YouthBuild

Study quality: Low

Low

Reason for the rating: This study received a low study quality rating because it is a quasi-experimental design that does not demonstrate that the program and comparison groups were sufficiently similar before the program.

Program: YouthBuild

Characteristics of study participants:

Young adults (age 16-24)

Services provided:

Basic skills/bridge programs, Case management, Financial education, Job placement, Job readiness, Job search assistance, Occupational or sectoral training, Post-employment participant follow-up, Pre-apprenticeship training, Soft skills training, Stipends, Transportation assistance, Unpaid work experience/internships, Work supports

Setting: Urban only

Methods and Standards Protocol version used for review: Version 2.0

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Study design

Design:

Quasi-experimental design

Study group formation:

The study uses a quasi-experimental design, in which 438 eligible participants with a valid social security number who exited from the YouthBuild program between 2016 to 2023 were matched to a comparison group of 438 Travis County residents who received standard workforce services.

Time period of study:

The study ran from 2016 to 2024. The study included participants who exited the program between 2016 and 2023. Data collection spanned 2016 to 2024, with the study using administrative data to examine outcomes up through a one-year follow-up period after program exit.

Pathways to Work only reports results from studies with a study quality rating of high or moderate.

Sample characteristics

Age

Mean age	20 years
Young adults (age 16-24)	100%

Sex

Female	46%
Male	54%

Race and ethnicity

Black or African American	17%
White, not Hispanic	19%
Hispanic or Latino of any race	51%
Asian	1%
Another race	6%
More than one race	3%
Unknown, not reported, or other	3%

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.

Education

Had a high school diploma or GED	24%
Did not have a high school diploma or GED	76%

Specific employment barriers

Were involved with the justice system

36%

Program implementation

Implementing organization:

American YouthWorks

Program services:

YouthBuild was a pre-apprenticeship program that combined education with on-the-job career training in one of four occupational tracks–construction, information technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. Participants who needed to complete their high school diploma or equivalency concurrently enrolled in certification classes.

Mandatory services:

None

Comparison services:

Comparison group members received limited employment services from a Workforce Solutions Career Center in Travis County but did not receive the additional services provided by YouthBuild Austin.

Study publications

Juniper, Cynthia, Patty Rodriguez, David McCoy, Heath Prince, and Thomas Boswell (2024). Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development: 2024 Update Report Appendices. Ray Marshall Center.

Juniper, Cynthia, Patty Rodriguez, David McCoy, Heath Prince, and Thomas Boswell (2024). Evaluation of Travis County Investments in Workforce Development: 2024 Update. Ray Marshall Center. Available at: https://sites.utexas.edu/raymarshallcenter/files/2025/03/Travis-County-WFD-FY-2016-FY-2023_FINAL.pdf

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.

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Study of YouthBuild Austin