
Latest Research Featured in Economic Development Quarterly
February 2025; volume 39 issue 1 https://journals.sagepub.com/home/edq
The February issue of the Economic Development Quarterly focuses solely on workforce development. While it is a topic that much too large to be covered in a single issue, its research papers address some of the major issues in the field: how can data be used to assist people in getting jobs, what are the components of effective training programs, and exploring new ways of thinking about workforce development.
The issue starts with a detailed paper by Christopher O’Leary et.al., “Predictive Analytics Supporting Labor Market Success: A Career Explorer for Job Seekers and Workforce Professionals in Michigan.” In the paper, the researchers describe both the machine learning models behind the predictive analytics of the frontline staff-mediated version of Career Explorer and the self-service version of Career Explorer, which provides clients with customized labor market information. The system was developed by the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics in collaboration with the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research and Michigan Works! Southwest.
Kathleen Bolter and Nicholas Martens, in their paper, “Can Anyone Learn to Code? A Qualitative Study of Place-Based Information Technology Training Programs,” explore the challenges in setting up place-based training programs for high-demand technical jobs, in this case information technology. Drawing from interviews and case studies, this analysis highlights the importance of prescreening processes, support for graduates transitioning to employment, and possibly the most important ingredient, employer involvement.
Perhaps an even greater challenge for a region is to train a future workforce for a developing key industry. In their paper, “Identifying and Developing the Battery Manufacturing Workforce: A Regional Analysis of Supply-Demand of Skilled Workers,” Gigi Jones and her research team examine efforts in the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman region to support the training needs of the budding electric vehicle battery manufacturing industry. The paper uses a mixed-methods approach that includes a supply–demand analysis of the region; an analysis of the National Labor Exchange data to identify the most common and desirable skills by employers; a curriculum mapping analysis of local educational institutions training programs; and a cost-benefit analysis of program-educated employees.
Finally, Ned Hill et.al, in their paper, “Ohio's Regional Manufacturing Workforce Partnerships: Governing a Common Pool Resource,” reconsider the innate challenges facing regional training programs. In short, they argue that graduates of these programs become a common pool resource, which is subject to the classic “tragedy of the commons” problem. Employers who offer experiential learning opportunities in their workplaces may be unsuccessful in hiring the graduates and, therefore, the training programs could flounder as the participating employers do not earn a return on their resource expenditures. The paper’s findings are based on the authors examination of Ohio's manufacturing industry sector partnerships (ISP).