Project Description
The National Office of Job Corps (OJC) has contracted with Decision Information Resources, Inc. (DIR) to administer post-separation surveys to eligible former Job Corps program participants. Job Corps is a national residential training and employment program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) designed to address the multiple barriers to employment faced by disadvantaged youth throughout the U.S. Job Corps provides comprehensive career development services to students including academic, career technical, career success and independent living skills, career readiness training, and support services. The unique combination of services provided in Job Corps is intended to prepare youth to obtain and hold gainful employment, pursue further education or training, or satisfy entrance requirements for careers in the Armed Forces.
To support the Job Corps program in meeting Outcome Management System (OMS), Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and Common Measures reporting requirements, DIR contacts up to 78,000 students annually in an effort to administer two post-separation surveys: a Quarter 2 survey administered after the student has been separated from Job Corps for two calendar quarters after the quarter of separation; and a Quarter 4 survey administered after the student has been separated from Job Corps for four calendar quarters after the quarter of separation. Eligible students include all students that remained in the program for at least 60 days, including graduates and former enrollees. Survey topics center on students’ employment and educational activities since leaving the Job Corps program, including any job(s) held and associated earnings; education/training, in addition to satisfaction with the Job Corps program. For both surveys, DIR contacts eligible students multiple times—via email and post card outreach—as needed to invite them to complete the survey.
DIR is also providing DOL with technical assistance and analysis to support data-driven decision making for continuous improvement of the Job Corps Program and the national data collection effort.