Evaluation of Generation I of the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Evaluation of Generation I of the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Initiative 2007 Interim Report Revised April 4, 2008 Submitted to: U.S. Department of Labor, ETA/OGCM Office of Policy Development and Research 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Room N-5641 Washington, D.C. 20210 Submitted by: Berkeley Policy Associates 440 Grand Avenue, Suite 500 Oakland, California 94610 BPA #830 Authors of this Report Sherry Almandsmith, Project Director Mary Walshok, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Kay Magill, Ph.D., Site Visit Task Leader Linda Toms Barker, Survey Task Leader Pamela Surko, Ph.D., Analysis of Existing Data Task Leader Mary Vencill Tommy Smith Hannah Betesh June Chocheles Acknowledgements This report was made possible by the assistance of many people. Eileen Pederson of ETA provided critical information, assistance, and guidance, and was instrumental in serving as a liaison among all those involved in this work. We wish to thank all those at ETA who participated in our assessment, including the ETA Leads for giving the evaluation team background information on the regions as well as their insights. We owe a special thanks to all of the staff, partners and stakeholders in the 13 Generation I WIRED regions. The professionals we visited at each of the regions welcomed us and were generous with their time, information and ideas. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary....................................................................................................................... i Study Design and Methods ......................................................................................................... ii Key Findings .............................................................................................................................. iv Next Steps .................................................................................................................................. xi Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................1 The WIRED Initiative ..................................................................................................................2 Evaluation of the WIRED Initiative: Design Overview...............................................................5 Report Content ...........................................................................................................................11 Chapter 2: Context and Goals of the Generation I WIRED Regions .....................................12 Context of WIRED Regions.......................................................................................................12 Regional Goals for Transformation............................................................................................21 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................25 Chapter 3. WIRED Structures, Communications, and Collaboration...................................26 Regional Structures and Roles of Partners.................................................................................26 Communications.........................................................................................................................39 Collaboration..............................................................................................................................45 Summary ....................................................................................................................................49 Chapter 4. WIRED Activities, Funding, and Metrics ..............................................................50 WIRED Strategies and Activities...............................................................................................50 Funding.......................................................................................................................................58 How Regions Document and Assess Success............................................................................69 Summary ....................................................................................................................................74 Chapter 5: Social Network Analysis ..........................................................................................75 What is Social Network Analysis?.............................................................................................75 Collection of Social Network Data from the WIRED Regions .................................................76 Preliminary Analysis of Social Network Data ...........................................................................77 Chapter 6: Quantitative Measures of Progress: Baseline Data for the Generation I WIRED Regions..........................................................................................................................................91 Introduction ................................................................................................................................91 Workforce and Job Measures.....................................................................................................92 Innovation and Commercialization Measures..........................................................................102 Education and Talent Development .........................................................................................108 Summary of Measures Using Existing Data ............................................................................116 Chapter 7: Patterns and Trends Across Generation I WIRED Regions..............................117 Master Themes .........................................................................................................................117 Cross-Region Analysis.............................................................................................................118 Cross-Site Issues in Workforce Investment System Transformation.......................................124 Next Steps ................................................................................................................................126 Appendix A: Site Visit Highlights from Generation I WIRED Regions................................... A-1 Appendix B: Generation I WIRED Regional Development Goals ............................................B-1 Appendix C: Measure of Success ...............................................................................................C-1 Appendix D: Social Network Analysis Data ............................................................................. D-1 Appendix E: Data Book on Generation I WIRED Regions........................................................E-1 Appendix F: Trends in Workforce & Innovation Measures for Generation I WIRED Regions .................................................................................................................F-1 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Generation I WIRED Regions .................................................................................3 Figure 1.2 Analytical Framework for WIRED Evaluation .......................................................7 Figure 2.1 Regional Assets and Gaps......................................................................................15 Figure 2.2 Continuum of Stages in WIRED Initiative Implementation..................................17 Figure 2.3 Readiness for WIRED............................................................................................22 Figure 3.1 Generation I WIRED Regions: Grantees, Fiscal Agents, and Program Managers .....................................................................................27 Figure 3.2 Organizational Home of WIRED in Generation I Regions ...................................29 Figure 3.3 Generation I WIRED Regions: Overall Management Structures, Chain of Command ...........................................................................................38 Figure 3.4 Generation I WIRED Regions: Predominant Decision-Making Models Used.....................................................................................................38 Figure 3.5 Content of Generation I WIRED Regions’ Websites ............................................41 Figure 3.6 Illustration of Progress toward Collaboration in Generation I Regions ................48 Figure 4.1 Generation I WIRED Targeted Industries .............................................................51 Figure 4.2 Mechanisms Used to Distribute WIRED Funds ....................................................59 Figure 4.3 Percentage of Total WIRED Award Obligated as of September 30, 2007............63 Figure 4.4 Total Leveraged Funds By WIRED Region ..........................................................66 Figure 4.5 Leveraged Funds For All Generation I WIRED Regions By Funding Source................................................................................................................67 Figure 5.1 Types of Organizations in Regional Networks......................................................78 Figure 5.2 Types of Organizations of Site Visit Respondents ................................................79 Figure 5.3 Organizational Roles in the Regional Networks....................................................80 Figure 5.4 Organizational Roles of Site Visit Respondents....................................................80 Figure 5.5 Proportion of Contacts at Each Level within