Measuring the Connection Between Workforce Development and Economic Development

Abstract

Scholars, practitioners, and policy makers have all called for greater connectivity between workforce development and economic development to more efficiently connect people to jobs and improve regional competitiveness. Economic and policy changes of the last decade have created a fertile environment for collaborative models of achieving workforce and economic development goals simultaneously. Employing survey results from 170 workforce administrators across the United States, the author uses regression analysis to examine the factors that influence connection and to understand the relationship between this connection, the use of sector-based strategies, and development outcomes. The results suggest that connectivity is increasing and has a positive influence on the use of sector-based strategies. In addition, both the level of connection and the use of sectors have significant influence on achieving desired outcomes. Understanding and enhancing the strategic linkage across the two functions are critical for connecting people to jobs and building strong economies.