This study was conducted by staff from Abt Associates, which co-administers CLEAR. The review of this study was conducted by ICF, which co-administers CLEAR and is trained in applying the CLEAR causal evidence guidelines.
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of the Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy (CCCA) on education and employment outcomes.
- The study used a randomized controlled trial to assign youth to the CCCA treatment group or control group. Using survey data, the authors conducted statistical models to compare differences in the outcomes between treatment and control group members.
- The study found that the CCCA participants spent significantly more months in education and training and were significantly more likely to attain any postsecondary degree or occupational certificate than the control group participants.
- This study receives a high evidence rating. This means we are confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy (CCCA), and not to other factors.
Intervention Examined
Features of the Intervention
The Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy (CCCA) is a program designed for young adults who want to go to college. The Department of Labor (DOL) funded the CCCA pilot to determine if a tailored approach for younger applicants, aged 16 to 19, could improve Job Corps outcomes. The CCCA was a three-year residential program that worked with local providers, employers, and colleges to offer enhanced Job Corps services and help students earn credentials in healthcare and information technology (IT) fields. The program served youth aged 16-21 in the Pacific Northwest who were interested in college and had at least sixth-grade proficiency in math and reading. The CCCA focused on healthcare and IT, providing students with academic instruction and technical training to help them enroll in postsecondary education and secure jobs that enable self-sufficiency.
Features of the Study
The study was a randomized controlled trial that examined the impact of the CCCA on education and employment outcomes for participants in the survey cohort. The treatment and control groups were drawn from youth who applied for the CCCA using a web-based application. Prior to random assignment, all eligible youth completed the baseline information form. Between November 2017 and December 2018, the authors randomly assigned 612 youth to the treatment or control groups. The treatment group included 306 youth who participated in the Cascades Pilot, while the control group included 306 youth who participated in a conventional Job Corps program.
Most students in each group identified as White (around 75%), with smaller proportions identifying as Hispanic (13%) or Black (10%). About half of the students in each group completed ninth grade or higher, and just under half had a high school credential. In both the treatment and control groups, slightly more than 25% of the healthcare track students were women, while almost 90% of the IT track students were men.
Data sources included the baseline information form and an 18 month follow-up survey. The baseline information form included questions about demographics, self-perceptions, and goals for the program. The 18 month follow-up survey included questions about education, employment, and training. The authors used statistical models to compare differences in outcomes between the treatment and control group members.
Findings
Education and skills gain
- The study found that CCCA participants had significantly more months of education and training than control group participants (9.5 and 6.6, respectively).
- The study also found that a significantly higher proportion of CCCA participants received any postsecondary degree or occupational certificate than control group participants (52% and 41%, respectively).
- However, there was no significant difference between the groups in receipt of a high school diploma.
Employment
- The study did not find a significant relationship between CCCA participation and total months of productive activities (training/education, employment, or military service).
Causal Evidence Rating
Additional Sources
Topic Area
Research Guidelines
Review Protocol: Living Systematic Annual Search and Review Protocol
Review Guidelines: Causal Evidence Guidelines