With support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) formed the Worker-Centered Benchmarking Project (WCBP), an advisory council of workers/learners from across the country to rethink how workforce program success is measured and the metrics used to do so. Workforce programs are commonly developed because labor market data projects growth in a specific occupation or industry, or in replication of models that have demonstrated success in other sectors or cities. But how do we know if programs are achieving their intended impact within the communities where they operate? How do we know what communities want from workforce programs, or even how success is defined?
CSW’s Improving Practices & Outcomes team convened the WCBP advisory council to rethink how program success is defined, develop new metrics reflective of this definition, and issue recommendations to providers and funders on incorporating key findings into everyday practice. The WCBP’s final report, Make Decisions With Us, Not About Us, was published in 2024. Other publications from WCBP advisory council members includ:
Read the WCBP’s Final Report, “Make Decisions With Us, Not About Us”
This new report, written by workforce development participants from New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, presents key findings and new metrics that workforce practitioners, intermediaries, and funders can incorporate into their everyday practice
What is the purpose of the advisory council?
The goal of the advisory council is to deepen understanding of how workforce program participants define successful participation in a workforce development program. Generally, the success of workforce development programs is measured through metrics developed by program funders. These metrics are largely quantitative and are focused on the earnings of program participants. While this data is important, it overlooks the psychological benefits of workforce program participation, like housing, wellness, hope, and self-esteem.
CSW believes that the WCBP advisory council will lead the field to consider an alternative definition of success, one developed by the participants and alumni of workforce programs. CSW committed significant time to research strategies to center worker/learner voice in program design, implementation, and evaluation. An advisory council was chosen to lead the project because it will allow workers/learners to work together for an extended period of time while receiving compensation and formal recognition for their work on the program.
The Role of Advisory Council Members
Council members contributed 34 hours between April and December 2023 towards the WCBP. Council members spent their time:
- Learning about the workforce development system through readings, workshops, and interviews with leaders from the workforce, labor, and community organizing systems
- Developing questions for and facilitating interviews and focus groups with workers/learners who have experienced varying levels of access as participants in workforce development programs
- Co-creating an online survey for completion by workers and learners
- Developing key recommendations that are informed by interview, focus group, and survey findings
- Collaborating and writing a final report outlining their key recommendations
Read about the initial learnings from the 2023 WCBP fellows:
WCBP Advisory Council Members
Marwa Berro, Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Samantha Francis, Brooklyn, New York
Alijandrina Martinez, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Asher Robinson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Diandra Sital, Bronx, New York
Terrell Hemphill, Detroit, Michigan
WCBP Facilitation Team
Chioke Mose-Telesford, Director of Improving Practice and Outcomes, cmosetelesford@skilledwork.org
Alex Breen, Senior Policy Associate, abreen@skilledwork.org
Rachel Whilby, Research Associate, rwhilby@skilledwork.org
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