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Can Workforce Development Help Us Reach Full Employment?

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  • Holzer, Harry J.

    (Georgetown University)

Abstract

In this paper, I review the potential of workforce development programs to help the US get closer to "full employment." First, I provide some background on workforce development in the US, and also on the aggregate employment/labor force issues that workforce programs may or may not address. Then I review the empirical evidence on job training and other forms of workforce development, in terms of impacts on employment (as opposed to earnings). I briefly consider how the US experience in this regard compares and contrasts with that of other countries in the EU or OECD, and what we might learn from them. I conclude that more and better workforce development could help somewhat to achieve lower unemployment and higher labor force participation in the US, though we also need a range of other policies to achieve these goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Holzer, Harry J., 2023. "Can Workforce Development Help Us Reach Full Employment?," IZA Discussion Papers 16624, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16624
    as

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    File URL: https://docs.iza.org/dp16624.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    workforce development; job training; full employment; labor force participation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs

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