NAWB Research

Surveys and studies on workforce topics

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How Workforce Investment Boards Are Operating
Over the last couple of years, the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) has undertaken a number of surveys and studies to determine how workforce investment boards (WIBs) are structured and what activities they are pursuing. While we have released some of the results already, this paper pulls the findings together into a more comprehensive report covering structure, policy focus, program services, and critical funding issues.

Workforce Investment Board Services to Businesses - Survey Results
In November 2010, the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) sent a survey to Workforce Investment Board (WIB) directors asking them questions about their services to businesses in general and small businesses in particular. All WIB survey respondents indicated that they provided services to businesses, and all also indicated that they provided services to small businesses. In sum, 51 percent of all the businesses respondents served in program year (PY) 2009-2010 were small businesses.

Local Workforce Investment Board Programs and Services
Survey Results June 30, 2010 – August 5, 2010
Over the course of the last twelve months, Workforce Investment Act (WIA) implementation and reauthorization have been topics of conversation among administration and congressional staff, as well as staff of the various public interest groups with connections to the act. The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) has fielded many questions on these topics, but frequently was limited to providing only anecdotal information in response. On June 30, 2010, in an effort to develop more comprehensive information on WIA implementation, NAWB sent a survey to workforce investment board (WIB) directors asking for information on their programs and services.

Workforce Investment Act Services to Individuals with Disabilities
The WIA system is serving adults with disabilities at a rate equal to their presence in the labor force. From April 2008 to March 2009, 4 percent of all WIA adult program exiters were individuals with disabilities, the exact same percentage as that of adults with disabilities (age 20 and above) in the civilian labor force in 2009. This study asks the question "Are individuals with disabilities being served fairly?".

Local Workforce Investment Board Partnerships With Local Libraries - Survey Results
The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) has joined with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, the National Governors’ Association, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, and the Institute for Library and Museum Services to locate partnerships that Workforce Investment Boards have entered into with local libraries. As part of this effort, NAWB contacted 299 WIBs.

Summer Youth Employment Programs On Federal Lands Survey Report
On April 25, 2011, the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) released a survey asking workforce investment boards (WIBs) about their involvement in offering summer youth employment programs on federal lands.  The survey focused on a four year period – the summers of 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.  This allowed the survey to gather information about programs operated before, during, and after the presence of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds (potentially available in 2009 and 2010).  Questions about 2008, 2009, and 2010 focused on actual past events, while questions about 2011 were for planned future events.