What should agencies consider in selecting vendors or designing a career advancement program?
Program design and delivery affect how well programs help clients access better jobs. For more information, see the how-to guide Steady Work and Better Jobs (Strawn and Martinson, 2000). Effective programs: • work closely with employers to identify jobs in demand, respond to employers needs, and include employers in program design and development; • focus on the quality of jobs and target firms with good jobs and opportunities for growth and advancement; • provide a mix of basic and occupational skills, soft skills, and work-base learning; • have capacity and expertise in a specific training area; • develop training curricula in terms of competencies and skills that can be documented; • link short-term training to opportunities for further skill upgrading and postsecondary education; • can be flexible in delivering services; • understand the demands on working families and strive to make services and training accessible; and • help clients with family and employment-related needs by pr
