Additional Program Information

Developer and contact

JOBSTART, no longer an active program, has no current available developer or contact information. JOBSTART was developed and evaluated by MDRC as a nonresidential alternative to Job Corps. Using Job Training Partnership Act funds, local institutions ran the JOBSTART programs. Additional information about the program model and the implementation experience of the organizations that used it can be found in Auspos, Cave, Doolittle, and Hoerz (1989) listed in the “References” for this report.

Scope of use

The JOBSTART demonstration operated in 13 sites in nine states from 1985 to 1988. Of the 13 study sites, 3 were adult vocational schools, 1 was a community college, 6 were community-based organizations, and 6 were nonresidential Job Corps programs. Sites were selected because of their experience running programs that included some or all of the components in the JOBSTART model. JOBSTART was run as part of a research demonstration, and it ended when the evaluation was completed. Although the program has ended, the core components—education and occupational skills training with support services to facilitate participation—are shared with many programs for school dropouts and disadvantaged youth still operating, such as youth programs funded through the Workforce Investment Act and Job Corps, on which JOBSTART was modeled.

Description of intervention

JOBSTART aims to improve the employment and earnings potential of high school dropouts through basic education, job training, and support services. The program serves youth who are 17 to 21 years old, have dropped out of school, read below an 8th-grade level, and meet one of the following three criteria: (1) receive public assistance, (2) have family income at or below the poverty line, or (3) are homeless. Participation in JOBSTART is voluntary. The program offers both basic education and occupational skills training. The education component improves participants’ basic academic skills to prepare them to obtain a GED certificate and begin occupational skills training. Participants complete workbook exercises in reading, math, and other subjects included on the GED test. Exercises are self-paced, and participants receive individualized instruction from program teachers. As part of the occupational training component of JOBSTART, youth select and attend vocational skills courses that offer training for specific occupations. JOBSTART also offers support services, such as childcare and transportation assistance, to facilitate participation. Once participants have completed their education and training, JOBSTART offers participants job placement assistance.

Cost

Based on data available from the study, the WWC estimates that the average cost of JOBSTART is about $9,700 per participant.⁴