Job Corps: Links With Labor Market Improved but Vocational Training Performance Overstated
HEHS-99-15
Published: Nov 04, 1998. Publicly Released: Nov 04, 1998.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed Job Corps' vocational training component to describe the program's contracting policies and to assess contractor performance, focusing on: (1) how Job Corps ensures that vocational training is appropriate and relevant to employers' needs and the extent to which participants are completing vocational training and obtaining training-related jobs; and (2) Job Corps' process for contracting with vocational training providers.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Labor | Improvements are needed to ensure that the information used to assess Job Corps program performance is accurate and meaningful. Specifically, two of the measures used to judge the success of the Job Corps program--vocational completion and job training match--provide misleading information that overstates program outcomes. Therefore, the Secretary of Labor should more accurately define and report information on the extent to which program participants complete vocational training. |
Closed – Implemented
Policy guidance has been issued defining vocational program step off levels and clarifying definition of program completion.
|
| Department of Labor | Improvements are needed to ensure that the information used to assess Job Corps program performance is accurate and meaningful. Specifically, two of the measures used to judge the success of the Job Corps program--vocational completion and job training match--provide misleading information that overstates program outcomes. Therefore, the Secretary of Labor should develop a more accurate system of reporting training-related jobs and effectively monitor its implementation. |
Closed – Implemented
Labor has instituted a new system of reporting job training matches that, according to DOL officials, will eliminate egregious matches. Also Labor has hired two new staff, one located in Seattle and one located in Washington, DC to monitor the reporting of placements.
|
| Department of Labor | Because Labor has not presented adequate justification for its long-standing practice of contracting on a sole source basis with nine national labor and business organizations for vocational training, the Secretary of Labor should properly justify its use of noncompetitive procedures if it is to continue to award contracts for vocational training services. In so doing, the agency should assess whether vocational training could be served as well through contracts competed for locally or regionally. |
Closed – Implemented
Labor has evaluated the use of national training contracts for vocational training and has decided to retain national contracts where Labor determines them to be appropriate and a better alternative to local contractors in terms of performance.
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Topics
Contract performanceEducation or training costsLabor statisticsPerformance measuresProgram evaluationSole source procurementState-administered programsTraining utilizationVocational educationYouth employment programsJob corps