Workforce Development & Employment

Priority Goal

Enhance the  effectiveness of educational programs and workforce initiatives that foster employability and economic self-sufficiency in Tennessee.

Why This Matters

This priority addresses the need to create a skilled workforce that can adapt to the evolving economic landscape. Tennessee seeks evidence on how education and training programs link to employment outcomes and what barriers prevent individuals from fully participating in the workforce.

Research Questions

a. Credential-Labor Market Alignment

To what extent are Tennesseans earning credentials that lead to gainful employment in Tennessee's areas of need?

b. Prior Learning Recognition

What programs and policies can the State implement to help individuals apply real-world experience, credentials, and prior credit-bearing work toward degrees and credentials that meet labor market needs?

c. Adult & Non-Traditional Learner Programs

How effective are state-funded programs, services, and practices targeting adult and non-traditional learners at increasing key employment outcomes?

d. Discouraged Worker Barriers

What are the barriers that the discouraged worker population faces in accessing services? What specific challenges do older discouraged workers face in Tennessee, and how can policies address age-related barriers to employment?

e. Workforce Reintegration Strategies

How effective are state-funded programs and strategies for reintegrating discouraged workers into the workforce?

f. Prisoner Workforce Outcomes

To what extent are Tennessee prisoner outcomes (recidivism, labor market outcomes, etc.) impacted by the type, intensity, and duration of workforce development services?

g. Rural Professional Recruitment & Retention

What short and long-term impacts do existing recruitment and retention incentives have in attracting and keeping education, mental health, and healthcare professionals employed in geographically rural areas?

h. Rural Infrastructure Impact on Professionals

What effect does Tennessee's rural infrastructure (roads, housing, etc.) and service proximity (public transit, childcare, grocery stores, etc.) have on service professionals' relocation decision-making in rural regions? To what extent are further investments or policy changes needed to make Tennessee's rural regions more attractive to high-need service professionals?